Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage

Ancient mitochondrial genomes of Erlitou dogs reveal diverse population dynamics during early state formation in China

The Erlitou site (c. 1750 to 1520 cal BC) in the Central Plains of China is widely regarded as the earliest state-level society in East Asia, yet the population history of domestic dogs within this key archaeological context remains poorly understood. Here, we analyze 21 ancient...

Multi-analytical investigation on materials and techniques of wall paintings in Kizil Giant Buddha Cave

This study investigates the wall paintings in Cave No. 47 of the Kizil Grottoes, the earliest surviving Giant Buddha cave. p-XRF, SEM-EDX, XRD, and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the painting materials, stratigraphy, and alteration products. Three plaster and...

Stability assessment of masonry pagodas based on multi-temporal survey and material analysis

This study evaluates the condition and conservation effects of three Tang Dynasty masonry pagodas at Foguang Temple, Shanxi, through multi-temporal 3D laser scanning, material analysis, and micro-environmental monitoring. Four surveys (2011, 2020, 2024, and 2025) documented the p...

Tradition of wrapping grains in funerary rituals 2200 years ago

Fan Yang, Yong Ge, Ling Fang, Haiyan Wang, Shuzhi Wang, Jiajun Wang, Zhiguo Zhang; Tradition of wrapping grains in funerary rituals 2200 years ago, Nationa