"The similarity of pottery and jadeware in different regions shows that there might have been communication between different cultures that existed at around the same time, such as the Liangzhu culture and the Longshan culture.

"They interacted with each other and finally formed the diverse but integrated Chinese culture," Fang says.

The jade pieces were unearthed in tombs. More than 100 pieces were discovered in a single tomb, suggesting that there were high-ranking groups, such as a ruler. Regarding the items, experts believe that they were mostly used as accessories.

Cooperating with Peking University and the University of Science and Technology of China, the excavation team in Shijiahe is working to find more evidence and clues to reveal a wider picture of the early civilization.