Excavations of seven prehistoric tombs found in a cave near China's renowned tourist resort in Guilin City will verify some burial customs of human beings living in the region some 5,000 to 15,000 years ago.

Excavations started last October in the cave named Dayan Archeological Site, some 20 kilometers away from Guilin in southwest China.

Archeologists with the State Administration of Cultural Heritage said the Dayan Cave has been the best protected prehistoric archeological site found in south China.

Fireplaces, pottery, stoneware and mussel tools were found in the 200 square meter cave in recent days of excavation.

There are all together eight tombs in the cave, seven of the prehistoric period and one of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The prehistoric tombs were a rare find in the region, said Zhang Wenbin, director of the administration.

Two of the tombs have human skeletons in squatting posture, three have bodies being buried lying down with bent limbs, the sixth has face-down-lying skeletons with stretched limbs, and the seventh has only a skull.

It was the first case of a skull burial, which might suggest some burial tradition for the prehistoric period in the region, said Fu Jianguo, a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

However, it is still too early to draw a conclusion, he said.

Delicate mussel wares discovered in the cave are well made. Stoneware excavated there indicate that the burial site had been consecutively used from Paleolithic Age to Neolithic Age.

Archeologists also excavated fish darts made of animal bones. The sharpness of the tool suggest refined craftsmanship, said Fu.

The archeological research in Dayan Site is expected to help unveil the mystery of the natural environment and human beings' activities in the south China region.

(People's Daily 01/18/2001)