1,000 ancient cliff paintings found

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Archaeologists have discovered around 1,000 cliff paintings dating back more than 1,000 years in northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The paintings are surprisingly well preserved, and feature sheep, camels, elk, tigers, wolves and people hunting, said Liu Bin, head of the Cultural Relics Bureau of Urad Middle Banner.

The images are believed to have been engraved by ancient tribal peoples known as the Tujue and the Dangxiang, from which the modern Qiang are descended, about 1,000 to 1,500 years ago, Liu said.

The new discoveries are among many found across the Yinshan mountain range, and will greatly inform research into ancient nomadic peoples, he added.

Over 10,000 ancient cliff paintings have been discovered in the Yinshan Mountains.

In 2012, 18 cliff paintings dating back over 4,000 years were discovered in the same area. Among the paintings, seven faces were exaggerated and monstrous, and have been interpreted as the seven stars of the "Big Dipper" constellation.