XI'AN, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists have found more than 12,000 Paleolithic stoneware items in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, local authorities said Tuesday.

The findings resulted from an archaeological project that started in March 2021 at the Yeyuan relics site in Luonan County, with an excavation area of 500 square meters, according to the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology.

The unearthed items include stone scrapers, sharp tools, chopping tools, and hand axes, to name a few.

According to preliminary estimates, ancient humans existed in the area at least 600,000 years ago, and human activity began to flourish about 250,000 years ago, lasting until about 70,000 years ago, said Zhang Gaike, a researcher with the academy.

The excavation is significant for the study of the development of the Paleolithic culture in the Qinling Mountains region and cultural exchanges between humans in different regions during the Paleolithic Period, said Zhang.