A large wine cellar built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) has been excavated in this capital city of east China's Shandong Province.

About a dozen wine jars have been found inside the cellar. With a small 'neck' and a swollen 'belly', most of the jars are around 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) high and all glazed with green color.

As the first of its kind ever unearthed in the city, the cellar indicates that the neighboring areas had been much prosperous in the Qing Dynasty, experts said.

They added discovery of the wine cellar will provide rich materials for researching brewing and ceramic industries in the Qing Dynasty.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2001)