In her keynote speech, Marcella Festa, associate professor at the School of Cultural Heritage at Northwest University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, highlighted the role of archaeology in enhancing the understanding of human history, bridging cultural gaps and educating future generations.

She said that recent archaeological efforts have revealed the presence of advanced civilizations beyond the Central Plains of China and demonstrated long-standing connections between various regions of Asia since prehistoric times. With projects like the Belt and Road Initiative, more about these ancient societies is expected to be uncovered.

While speaking of Hongshan culture, a key Neolithic culture known for its exquisite jade ware and emerging ritual traditions that encompassed today's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Liaoning and Hebei provinces, Festa said she found it particularly intriguing that the Hongshan people relied on a mix of farming, hunting and fishing for subsistence, which has challenged the conventional belief that only agricultural societies could produce Neolithic cultures.