HANGZHOU, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Nine tombs found in east China's Zhejiang Province contained chinaware showing that more than 2,000 years ago the area already had a prosperous protoporcelain industry.
The tombs, built in the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC), were discovered last month in Longsheng, a village in Deqing county, on a construction site.
The protoporcelain bowls, jars and wine cups unearthed from the site were accompanied by porcelain tools including an axe, chisel, shovel and sickle.
The tombs were less than 200 meters away from the kiln, where samples of similar chinaware were also discovered.