Six kilns dating to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) were unearthed recently at the Tuchengpo ruins of kilns in Wushan County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

According to archaeological experts, the kilns are the largest group of its kind discovered in the Three Gorges area.

Located at a slope 10 meters from the port of the Yangtze River that runs through the city, the kilns are in square shape, consisting of gate, fireplace, hearth and chimney.

With one, two or three chimneys respectively, the kilns are sized from two to six square meters. So far, some 10 kilns of the Han Dynasty have been excavated at the ruins with abundant historical relics such as pantile, board tile and earthen pots.

The discovery provides valuable evidence on development of workshops in the region 2,000 years ago.

Since September 2004, Chinese archaeologists have unearthed more than 300 graves and more than 4,000 precious historic relics dating back to the Warring States Period (403 BC - 221 BC) and the Han Dynasty at the Tuchengpo ruins.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2006)