The ancient tradition of silk farming could be revived at Turpan in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region as part of a project to restore exquisite clothing and other items up to 2,000 years old found in ancient tombs.

The silk products include handcrafted kerchiefs with flower and rhombus patterns, and handbags, and are evidence of how Turpan prospered as a key stop on the ancient Silk Road.

"The unearthing of the silk products from the tombs shows how valuable the silk trade was and how it benefited the people along the road," said Xu Dongliang, deputy head of the Technological Protection Institute at the Academy of Turpan Studies.