A huge cliff painting of spotted deer was found recently in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

According to local archaeologists, the one-square meter painting was carved on a three-meter high rock, featuring an overlooking spotted deer.

Cliff paining, as one of the most popular form of arts in the world, has been discovered in over 120 countries. China has found thousands of cliff paintings in over 20 provinces.

The Helan Mountain alone, once a nomadic area, is the home to 10,000 cliff paintings carved by nomads in northern China some 2, 000 years ago. They are scattered over an area stretching several hundred kilometers.

The paintings reflect life episodes, folk custom, figures, animals and religious activities in the area in ancient time.

Over the past two months, archaeologists have discovered hundreds more cliff paintings in the area, which were carved with metal tools.

"They were quiet different from the early-found stone-carved cliff paintings," said an archaeologist, because they were carved with stone tools.

(Xinhua 12/10/2000)