The various treasures  discovered recently in China could rewrite the early history of this ancient civilization and even challenge ideas about the evolution of modern humans.

The latest finding from this country covers a remarkable trove, from revealing missing links between China and other ancient civilizations to how the climate brought death to dynasties. Even more intriguing are the new mysteries and legends proving to be true.

1  – Ruins Of 2,000-Year-Old Oasis Settlement in Lop Nor Desert

Archeological site (Image Source)

Chinese archaeologists have discovered ruins of walls that once belonged to an ancient city in the northwest of the country’s Lop Nor Desert, in the area of a former salt lake Lop Nor, which has dried-up.

The wall ruins, unearthed by researchers of the archeological institute of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region during a scientific expedition, allegedly belonged to one of the capitals of the ancient Kingdom of Loulan. The remains of the settlement were found 57.5 kilometers south of another Loulan city, which was rediscovered in 1900 by Swedish adventurer Sven Hedin. After examination of the construction materials, scientists concluded that the city dates back to the second or third century AD. (read more)

2 –  Strange Discovery of Ancient Underwater Treasure

A centuries-old legend that a vast booty of treasure belonging to the leader of a Chinese peasants uprising was lying at the bottom of a river has now been proven true. (Image Source)

The Chinese archeologists did a strange discovery of ancient underwater treasure. The treasure was immense and comprised of 10,000 gold and silver coins. This, more than three centuries old treasure, was discovered in the bottom of a river in southwestern Sichuan Province. Researchers claim that it proves a 300 year old mythical battle between Zhang Xianzhong and Ming Dynasty, real.

The treasures were sunk in the bottom of the river and are still intact almost. treasure belonged to the leader Zhang Xianzhong, who was defeated in the area by Ming Dynasty soldiers while trying to transport his treasure, in 1646.

Allegedly a thousand boats sank during this fight, which were loaded with treasures. They sank to the river beds and since then, this was a myth more than a fact. (read more)

3 –  Mysterious Pyramid  in Zhengzhou, Henan Province China

A coffin chamber containing two tombs, with one of them in the shape of a pyramid, has been recently discovered at a construction site in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan province (Image Source)

A strange pyramid shaped tomb has been uncovered under a construction site in central China. People are simply surprised after this weird old burial site was found in Zhengzhou, Henan Province China. Because of its “Egyptian” characteristics, it has been labeled “magical” by local media.

The tomb has been named as the Pyramid of Zhengzhou by the Chinese media, although its structure is quite smaller in size in comparison with the real Egyptian pyramids. A guard of the excavation site stated that the tomb could be over 2000 years old. (read more)

4 – Well Preserved 500-Year-Old Female Corpse

500-year-old female corpse unearthed intact (Image Source)

Strange female corpse dating back to the Ming Dynasty was unearthed in Jingzhou city, Hubei province.

Global Times informed the female corpse was kept in good condition, her eyebrows and hair was clear as other features on her face. According to preliminary investigation, the woman was about 60 years old when she died. it was estimated that the woman’s body was almost 600 years old, according to the test results of her teeth and hair, and that the silk dresses prevented deformation and normal rapid decomposition expected for a corpse of such age. This discovery would make great contributions to the study of ancient burying customs and fashion of South Hubei province. (read more)

5 –  Egyptian-style Pyramid Under Fuxian Lake

Fuxian Lake is still not totally explored, so various legends have prevailed for more than 1,000 years and unfortunately their credibility cannot be confirmed.

Geng Wei, a professional diver, had accidentally found a strange phenomenon under the Fuxian lake, in form of stone materials including flagstones and stone strips with thick moss above them, could be seen. Researchers claimed eight main buildings were found all under the water, including a round, colosseum-like building with a 37 meter wide base and a gap to the northeast and two large high buildings with floors, similar to the Mayan pyramids.

Archaeological research using carbon dating dated the archaeological remains at the bottom of the lake to around 250 CE, but ancient astronaut theorists believe that it must date back before the Ice Age. The show then talks about UFO sightings in the region to suggest that there is an alien origin to the lost city, though strictly speaking even if we accept everything they claim about the city’s age at face value, it would not imply the presence of space aliens. (read more)

6 –  The Great Flood that Started a Civilisation (evidence found in China)

Fourteen skeletons of victims killed by an earthquake nearly 4000 years ago in a village called Lajia, sometimes called "the Asian Pompeii." The earthquake is thought to also have triggered a massive river flood. Image credit: Cai Linhai

According to legend, Chinese civilisation began around 4,000 years ago in the Yellow River basin, when an emperor called Yu the Great successfully managed to control a huge flood.

After all these years, the story has taken on an almost mythological status, but despite frequent retelling, evidence for the ‘great flood’ and the Xia dynasty itself has remained patchy. Researchers have found the first geological evidence that the flood actually happened – and it was just as big as the legends suggest.

An international team of scientists has shown that, around 1920 BCE, an earthquake triggered the Yellow River to burst its banks, creating one of the largest freshwater floods in human history. (read more)

7 –  The World’s Deepest Underwater Sinkhole

(Image Source)

The scientists have recently discovered the so called world’s deepest underwater sinkhole in the South China Sea. Locals call it “Dragon Hole”  or an “eye” and it is 300 meters deep according to the researchers, who spent there the whole year exploring the area.

The size of the sinkhole was measured by a special underwater robot with a depth sensor, it is a home for the more 20 different species of fish inhabiting the upper part of the sinkhole, while 100 meters below, where is not that much oxygen, there is hardly any life can be found.

Blue hole initially is a huge sinkhole or a cave system in the ocean, which is visible from the surface.Before it was believed that the Blue Hole in Bahamas is the largest one in the world, having a depth of 660 feet. (read more)

8 – The Unknown Human

Reconstructions of the skulls superimposed over the site where they were found. (Xiujie Wu) (Image Source)

When found in 2007 and 2014 respectively, two skulls created a buzz. Both were extracted from China’s Lingjing site in the Henan province. They belonged to the same strange species: a modern human with Neanderthal features.

Similar to people today, the pair owned reduced brow lines, slight cranial vaults, and big brains. However, semicircular ear canals and a thicker skull at the back were Neanderthal. Additionally, the low broad brain case was a trait of early eastern Eurasian humans.

Scientists involved in the study feel it’s an unknown human branch, but others suggest these are the first Denisovan skulls. Related to Neanderthals, all that’s ever been found of them is a finger bone and teeth. Living Chinese also have 0.1 percent Denisovan DNA. The Lingjing skulls are too ancient to yield the DNA sample that can solved this mystery. Aged 105,000–125,000 years old, they do provide an opportunity to study human evolution in eastern Eurasia. It’s likely that an unidentified archaic group lived alongside Neanderthals and modern humans, interbred, and passed down a mixed heritage for generations. (read more)