Photo: Xiaogucheng relic site

Archaeologists have made new discoveries in the ruins of an ancient city dating back over 3,000 years in east China's Zhejiang Province.

The ruins are located in Yuhang District's Jingshan Township in the provincial capital of Hangzhou. They are believed to have been a vital regional base during the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.), according to the provincial institute of archaeology.

They cover an approximate total area of 350,000 square meters, with the city site occupying about 250,000 square meters. The area has been inhabited for 7,000 years, flourishing from the late Xia Dynasty (2070 B.C.- 1600 B.C.) to the Shang Dynasty, said Luo Rupeng, head of the archaeological team.

Recently, researchers unearthed a complex yet systematically planned courtyard-style architectural complex, an elevated platform for ceremonial rituals and astronomical observations, and a well-preserved water gate, which potentially served functions such as water diversion, flood control and navigation.

The site was discovered in the 1980s and excavation work began in 2004, Luo said.

The new findings offer important information for the study of the construction methods, settlement layouts and functional zones of southern cities in the pre-Qin period, Luo said.