The Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism held a news conference on July 9 to brief the media on archaeological work in the province in 2019 and related plans for 2020.

Wang Tingqi, deputy director of the department, said that Shandong carried out 45 archaeological excavations in 2019, involving an excavation area exceeding 30,000 square meters and nearly 1,000 ancient tombs.

Wang said that the province has been promoting international exchanges and cooperation in archaeology.

Last year, the Shandong Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology led a joint archaeological survey in the Mihe River area with Israel.

The Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Shandong Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology also carried out archaeological research on bronze mirrors from the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) with Japan.

Shandong University, Kyushu University in Japan and Yantai Museum jointly conducted archaeological research on pottery tablets and stone tools unearthed at the Dazhongjia site in the Yantai Development Zone.

"These joint research projects have enriched and improved the theoretical, methodology and technical level of Chinese archaeology, promoted interactive cultural exchanges and provided strong support for the protection of Asian cultural heritage," Wang said.

He added that the achievements made in the archaeological work would also advance the integrated development of culture and tourism in Shandong, as the province plans to build archaeological parks to better protect and promote its precious cultural heritage.

This year, Shandong will focus on the promotion and utilization of its rich cultural relics to raise public awareness.

The province will also participate in national key archaeological research projects this year.