Monday, January 16, 2006

Lost civilization state. . .. found early 3,000-year-old ancient state found in north China province

A small ancient state dating back nearly 3,000 years, which was never recorded in historical documents, has been discovered in north China's Shanxi Province.

Archaeologists deduced the existence of the previously unknown state, Peng, from inscriptions on bronzeware excavated from two ancient Western Zhou Dynasty tombs (1100 BC-771 BC).

The owners of the two tombs, discovered in Hengshui Town of Jiangxian County in Shanxi Province, were the ruler of the state, Pengbo (meaning Count of Peng State), and his wife.