The Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology recently announced the latest progress at the Qiaoyezhai site in Jiangxian county in North China's Shanxi province. 

Archaeologists claimed that a discovery related to the second phase of Miaodigou Culture and remains from the Longshan Culture period, which were more than 5,000 years ago, provides important data for the study of the western boundary of the late Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC) and the evolution of society in the country.

The remains from the second phase of Miaodigou Culture include pottery kilns, ash pits, pottery, and stone and bone tools.

These indicate that it was a settlement site with a pottery handicraft industry. The burnt bones found in the ash pit have also rarely been found in the southern Shanxi area, indicating that there was a sacrificial act. The high-grade relics found, such as white pottery, indicate that the site is of high specification.

The cultural remains of the Longshan Culture period are mainly ash pits, pottery, and a small number of stone tools.