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RANZAN, Saitama Prefecture--Artifacts labeled as “groundbreaking discoveries” from the ruins of structures associated with warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Siege of Odawara in 1590 could have been prototypes of ninja weapons.

Akihiro Iwata, an archaeologist and curator at the Saitama Prefectural Ranzan Historical Museum here, said the flat stones and clay balls may well have been the forerunners of “shuriken” throwing stars and “makibishi” caltrops that later made up ninja arsenals.

Archaeologists in Utah have unearthed artifacts from a long-abandoned town once populated by Chinese workers who helped build the first transcontinental railroad in the mid-19th century.

Construction on China's first archaeological museum in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, home to the famous Terracotta Warriors, has been completed and the site will soon welcome its first visitors, according to the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology.

"A high-profile letter sent in October 2021 told us everything we needed to know about the state of modern Chinese archaeology.
Sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Yangshao culture – considered the start of modern Chinese archaeology – the letter called for “developing archaeology with Chinese features, style and ethos” so the field could contribute to “national rejuvenation”.

For Chinese archaeology, 2021 was a banner year highlighted by the global breakthrough that was the beautifully preserved ancient gold masks discovered at Sanxingdui.

Last week, the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences announced what it believed were the most important archaeology finds in China last year. While most of the sites were discovered before 2021, they all featured remarkable excavation finds from last year.

The discoveries help paint a picture of ancient Chinese society across the millennia.

The official excavation research of Wolseong began in December 2014. 
 
Literally translated as “moon castle” in English, Wolseong, which is also listed at Unesco World Heritage, measures more than 200,000 square meters and is considered one of the most important historical sites in Korea as it was the seat of the Silla Dynasty. Compared to its historical weight, the Wolseong area had been left largely unexplored.  

KASUGA, Fukuoka Prefecture--Prehistoric people in Japan apparently used an advanced system of weights and measurements on a decimal basis, excavations at a Yayoi Pottery Culture Period (1000 B.C.-A.D. 250) site here suggest.

Researchers identified what is known as a decuple weight with 10 times the reference unit mass of 11 grams among artifacts unearthed at a series of archaeological sites collectively known as the Sugu group, where many measurement weights have previously been discovered, the Kasuga municipal board of education said.

Enhanced efforts will be made in China to encourage international cooperation in archaeology, and national-level plans for joint research are being drafted, the National Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Friday through a general blueprint centered on archaeological development during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

According to the blueprint, two to three Chinese archaeological research bases will be set up overseas by 2025, and five to 10"demonstration-level" cross-border projects are expected to be nurtured by then.

NAHA -- Japan's oldest-known color accessory has been unearthed from a stratum in cave ruins dating back to the Paleolithic period about 23,000 years ago in southernmost Okinawa Prefecture, a local museum announced on Oct. 21.

‘Dragon man’ skull reveals new branch of family tree more closely related to modern humans than Neanderthals

The discovery of a huge fossilised skull that was wrapped up and hidden in a Chinese well nearly 90 years ago has forced scientists to rewrite the story of human evolution.

Analysis of the remains has revealed a new branch of the human family tree that points to a previously unknown sister group more closely related to modern humans than the Neanderthals.