Shenzhen's prehistoric Neolithic site in Xiantouling, Dapeng in Longgang District, has been selected one of the country's top 10 archaeological discoveries last year.

The results were announced Sunday after a monthlong selection organized by the Chinese Society of Archaeology.

It is the second time Shenzhen has won the title, following the discovery of the ancient Shang Dynasty (1,600 B.C.-1,100 B.C.) site at Wubeiling in Xili in Nanshan District in 2001.

The Xiantouling site, which is regarded as the birthplace of Neolithic culture in the Pearl River Delta region, dates the history of Shenzhen back 6,000 to 7,000 years.

The finds, mainly well-preserved houses, kitchens, colored porcelain, white porcelain and stone tools, provide important clues about the ancient people living in the Lingnan area south of the Five Ridges that separate Guangdong and Guangxi from the hinterland.

"The selection of Xiantouling's prehistoric site is not a surprise because it has been regarded as a marvelous discovery by Chinese archaeologists," said Zhou Jun at Shenzhen's cultural relics management office.

Xiantouling's selection may change some people's view that Shenzhen is a young city, said Chen Wei, director general of the Shenzhen's Municipal Culture Bureau.

"It is important to establish the city's cultural identity through archaeological discoveries. When we look back through discoveries such as Nantou's ancient site of the Jin Dynasty (265-420) and Dapeng Fortress in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), we can gain a deeper understanding of the city's identity," he said.

Shenzhen is home to more than 40 well-preserved historical and cultural sites, including Dapeng Fortress, Nantou Ancient City and Chiwan Tianhou Temple.

The Xiantouling ancient site is one of two in Guangdong Province to be chosen from 24 entries nationwide. The other provincial discovery was in Gaoming City, western Guangdong. Unearthed well-preserved rice-growing equipment, stone axes and animal skeletons showed ancient men left their footprints in Guangdong 4,000 years ago

The Chinese Society of Archaeology started selecting the top 10 archaeological discoveries in 1990. Five discoveries in Guangdong including two in Shenzhen have since been selected.

Editor: Yan