Tibetannet

Some of the artifacts unearthed at the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site in southwest China's Tibet.[Photo/Xinhua]

Workers excavate and clean at the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site in southwest China's Tibet.[Photo/Xinhua]

Copper cauldrons and iron products unearthed from the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site in southwest China's Tibet. The copper cauldron contains food debris inside.[Photo/Xinhua]

Some of the artifacts unearthed at the the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site in southwest China's Tibet.[Photo/Xinhua]

Pottery unearthed at the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site in southwest China's Tibet.[Photo/Xinhua]

Members of an archaeological team from Sichuan University carry out the excavation and cleaning work at the the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site in southwest China's Tibet.[Photo/Xinhua]

According to the Ngari Joint Archaeological Team, with the continuous advancement of joint archaeological work this year, significant progress has been made in archaeological investigations and excavations at the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site in southwest China's Tibet, unearthing a number of precious cultural relics dating back about 2,000 years ago.

"We have found rice and tea inside a pottery jar and wooden box that we believe to date to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD)," Professor Huo Wei, dean of the School of History and Culture at Sichuan University and head of the archaeology team at the Piyang-Dongga ancient tombs site, said.

"At the same time, we also discovered a Central Asian-style bronze mirror with a handle."

Professor Huo also said that this may indicate that before Buddhism was introduced to Tibet, the people of Piyang-Dongga area had had close contact with inland China and were influenced by the surrounding civilizations.

Piyang-Dongga area is located in Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, and is the largest Buddhist cave site discovered in Tibet up to date.