China to build museum on ruins of ancient capital

Construction of a museum built on the ruins of the capital of the Xia Dynasty (2100 - 1600 BC), China's earliest dynasty, will start in June, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage announced Thursday.

The cornerstone laying ceremony is scheduled for June 11 near the village of Erlitou in the city of Luoyang, Central China's Henan province, where over 40,000 square meters of ruins have been excavated since 1959.

The project aims at increasing domestic and global academic exchanges in the origins of civilization and nations, and encouraging the excavation and study of the ruins of China's earliest dynasty, the administration said.

The museum, with a planned area of 30,000 square meters, will showcase around 40,000 items, such as excavated antiques, text and graphic documents related to the early dynasties, including the Xia and Shang (1600-1046 BC).