Archaeologists say that they have discovered pottery handles that are 2,500 years old, during the excavation of the Yanghai Tombs in Shanshan County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Two pieces were found, one with a wild sheep head shaped handle while the other was a handle shaped like a ram's head, said Zhang Yuzhong, deputy director of the local archaeological institute.

"This is the first sheep head shapes pottery handle ever discovered in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region," said Zhang.

"Both are made with fine handicraft, exhibiting the great creativity and abundant imagination of the ancient people 2,500 years ago," said Zhang.

Moreover, archaeologists also discovered that design on the pottery pots unearthed at the site is quite similar to the rock pictures discovered in Turpan Prefecture, providing evidence for the study of those rock pictures, said Zhang.

As the grandest tombs ever discovered in the Turpan Basin and nearby regions, the Yanghai tombs date back 3,000 years.

(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2004)