Xiatang site in Xianju county, Zhejiang province, dates back from 10,000 to 4,000 years ago. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Xiatang site in Xianju county, Zhejiang province, has been named one of China's top 10 archaeological discoveries for 2024.

The discoveries, which were officially announced in Beijing on April 24, were chosen from 20 finalists through an open ballot by 21 of the country's top-tier scholars from archaeological institutes and universities. They are the outstanding examples of the more than 1,740 excavations carried out last year.

Located in Xiatang village, the site dates back between 10,000 and 4,000 years. First discovered in 1984, it has a cultural layer up to 2.5 meters thick. Formal excavation began in 2018, covering 2,250 square meters so far.

"Xiatang is the earliest known agricultural settlement in China, offering a full picture of early farming society," said Chen Xingcan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "It provides a vital example for studying the rise of rice farming in southern China."

The excavation shows that the site spans the entire Neolithic period, lasting over 5,000 years. Zhong Zhaobing, head of the project at the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, said it sets a benchmark for understanding regional cultural development and stands as rare evidence of China's cultural origins.

Researchers plan to deepen studies on the settlement's environment, resources, technologies, and economy to reconstruct early social life. Meanwhile, construction has already begun on a provincial-level archaeological park at the site.