-- Chinese archaeologists announced Saturday that some new major discoveries have been made at the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins site in southwest China, helping shed light on the unified, diverse origin of the Chinese civilization.

-- Archaeologists have unearthed various important cultural items from four of the pits, including pieces of gold masks, gold foil, bronze masks, bronze trees and large numbers of ivories. Pieces of miniature ivory sculptures, carbonized rice and seeds of trees were also excavated.

-- Experts say that the new discoveries will enrich and deepen people's understanding of the Sanxingdui culture, and that the ruins will be of enormous interest internationally.

by Xinhua writers Hui Xiaoyong, Zhong Qun and Tong Fang

CHENGDU, March 20  -- Chinese archaeologists announced Saturday that some new major discoveries have been made at the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins site in southwest China, helping shed light on the unified, diverse origin of the Chinese civilization.

Archaeologists have found six new sacrificial pits and unearthed more than 500 items dating back about 3,000 years at the Sanxingdui Ruins in Sichuan Province, the National Cultural Heritage Administration announced in the provincial capital Chengdu.

So far, archaeologists have unearthed various important cultural items from four of the pits, including pieces of gold masks, gold foil, bronze masks, bronze trees and large numbers of ivories. Pieces of miniature ivory sculptures, carbonized rice and seeds of trees were also excavated. The rest of the newly discovered pits are still under excavation.