More than 4,600 ancient cultural relics including over 3,500 ancient tombs, were discovered during an expansion project of the Xianyang International Airport in Xi'an, according to Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.

Hundreds of workers worked even during the Spring Festival holiday to excavate the site and ensure smooth progress of the third phase of the airport's expansion.

The third-phase expansion of Xianyang airport in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province is currently the largest civil aviation project in northwest China, as part of the efforts to build an international aviation hub in Xi'an.

Discovering ancient tombs in Shaanxi does not come as a surprise. In 2010, during the second phase of the airport expansion project, researchers from Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology conducted excavation in the construction area and found more than 60 tombs and more than 1,300 cultural relics. In 2011, six ancient tombs and more than 40 cultural relics were discovered during the construction of Xi'an Metro Line 2.

Statistics show that a total of 179 archaeological projects were carried out in Shaanxi Province in 2020. Researchers have accomplished 11.8 million square meters of archaeological exploration, discovering 3,956 ancient tombs and 105,800 square meters of ancient sites.

The city of Xi'an enjoys a long history and served as capital for 13 ancient Chinese dynasties. The modernization drive there is seen accompanied with continuous efforts preserving its historical legacy.

(Cover: Researchers conduct archaeological exploration at the Xianyang International Airport in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, northwest China. /The Paper)