A look at national treasures in Chinese Archaeological Museum

The Chinese Archaeological Museum, a repository of China's famous and exquisitely crafted cultural relics spanning thousands of years of Chinese history, has been drawing large numbers of visitors since its opening in September of last year.

As China's first national-level museum dedicated to the field of archaeology, it also engages in preservation, academic research and education.

The museum is divided into several sections that present the country's history and culture through the use of advanced technology.

Honored as "the First Dragon of China," the turquoise dragon-shaped artifact was unearthed from the tomb of a high-ranking nobleman at the Erlitou site in Henan Province. Its exquisite workmanship and large size are rare among early Chinese dragon artifacts, marking a pivotal point in the evolution of the dragon motif in Chinese culture. It is currently on display in the museum in the same condition as when it was unearthed.

The Dengzhong Xi Zun, an enchanting and finely decorated vessel, was unearthed from a site in Zhangjiapo, southwest of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. Made during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC), this delicate bronze artifact vividly depicts sculpted dragons coiled around the chest and hips of an enigmatic quadruped creature.

This painted ceramic plate is believed to be the earliest depiction of a Chinese dragon on a work of ceramic. It was discovered in 1980 at the Taosi site in Xiangfen, north China's Shanxi Province.

The outer surface of the plate is decorated with a rope pattern, while the inner surface is polished black ceramic. The upper rim of the interior is painted with vermilion and depicts a coiled dragon with a serpentine body, a compact and round head, prominent scales, and a tongue resembling a rice ear.