China's top 10 archaeological discoveries for 2024, one of the highest honors for China's archaeologists, was released on Thursday in Beijing.

They were chosen from 20 finalists through an open ballot by 21 of the country's top-tier scholars from archaeological institutes and universities, who are the outstanding examples of the more than 1,740 excavations carried out last year.

The new laureates:

1. Mengxihe Paleolithic sites group from 80,000 to 60,000 years ago in Ziyang, Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

2. Xiatang site in Xianju county, Zhejiang province, from 10,000 to 4,000 years ago. [Photo provided to China Daily]

3. Siwa site in Lintao county, Gansu province, from nearly 5,000 years ago. [Photo provided to China Daily]

4. Mabu Tsho site in Khangmar county, Xizang autonomous region, from more than 4,000 years ago. [Photo provided to China Daily]

5. Panlongcheng site in Huangpi district, Wuhan, Hubei province, from Xia (c. 21stcentury-16th century BC) and Shang (c.16th-11th century BC) dynasties. [Photo provided to China Daily]

6. Zhouyuan site in Baoji, Shaanxi province, from the Shang and Zhou (c. 11th century-256 BC) periods. [Photo provided to China Daily]

7. Liulihe site in Fangshan district, Beijing, from the Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BC). [Photo provided to China Daily]

8. Wuwangdun No 1 tomb in Huainan, Anhui province from late Warring States Period (475-221 BC). [Photo provided to China Daily]

9. Hebosuo site in Jinning, Yunnan province, from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the Han (206 BC-AD 220) and Jin (265-420) periods. [Photo provided to China Daily]

10. Mo'er Temple site in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, from the third to the 10th century. [Photo provided to China Daily]