Precious exhibits

Zhang said a gnomon shadow measurement tool called guibiao, a colored pottery plate with a curled dragon pattern and a flat pottery kettle with red-inked inscriptions, are the most valuable assets of the museum and worth the attention from visitors.

Gao Jiangtao, head of the CASS archaeological team for the Taosi ruins, gave a detailed introduction to the three exhibits.

He said the colored pottery plate with a dragon pattern — which is 40.7 centimeters in diameter and 7.8 cm in depth — might point to the origin of the Chinese totem of dragon.

"The dragon pattern, in the interior surface of the plate, features a curled snake body, crocodile scales, two ears on the two sides of its head and saw-shaped teeth and a long jaw. These are the typical characteristics of the image of China's legendary dragon, similar to the dragon images in later periods like the Xia (c.21st century-16th century BC), Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties," Gao said.