Archaeologists are conducting excavations of several salt-boiling sites constructed during the Tang Dynasty (618—907) in Huanghua, Hebei province. The majority of the sites are intact, although some are damaged. The diameters of the sites range from 1 to 6 meters. There are also a number of ash ditches and holes around the salt-boiling areas. [Photo/Xinhua]

Ancient salt-boiling sites excavated in Hebei

The ruins, which were built sometime during the Tang Dynasty (618 -907), were found in Huanghua, a county-level city bordering the Bohai Sea.

The site is 2.5 kilometers from the ruins of Haifeng town, a protected heritage site thought to be the northern tip of the ancient Maritime Silk Road trade route.

During the excavation, archaeologists found round and oval burning sites with identifiable plant ash and red clay, which are presumed to be stoves used to extract salt.

Archaeologists said that judging from the unearthed pieces of porcelain and brick, the ruins could date back to as far as the Tang Dyansty.