The six most important archaeology discoveries of 2013 were unveiled by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in December, with the earliest dating back more than 4,000 years.

What lies beneath

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These discoveries were selected for their academic value and social impact, says Shi Jinsong, deputy director of the Archaeology Press, co-host of the event along with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Institute of Archaeology of CASS.

"We want to credit efforts that show the way forward for archaeology in China. Each discovery has to be pioneering in its own way," Shi says.

One of the most significant finds was the burial site of Emperor Yang Guang and his wife in Jiangsu province in East China. Yang from the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618) is considered one of the most ruthless tyrants in Chinese history.

An epigraph and hundreds of pieces of jade ware, pottery and lacquer ware were unearthed. The site provides substantial material to aid the study of the elite tombs in the Sui and the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), says Qi Dongfang, professor of archaeology at the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University.

"It is significant for the research of the history, politics, economy and culture of that period," Qi says.