Guizhou begins archaeological exploration of Kele site

Southwest China's Guizhou province is currently exploring the Kele site in Kele township, about 60 kilometers west of Hezhang county. It is the largest exploration since the site was first discovered in 1958.

The Kele site is a cultural relic of Yelang State, which was the first state established by the ancestors of ethnic groups in Southwest China. The state was established between the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-AD220) and lasted for about 300 years.

Guizhou has explored the site 10 times since it was discovered and began a systematic exploration in 2000, discovering 108 tombs and unearthing 547 relics.

The current large-scale exploration aims to get a clearer picture of the distribution range and types of the remains, providing traces of Yelang civilization, cultural integration between different ethnic groups, and the planning of the Kele national archaeological site park.

So far, Guizhou has sent more than 40 archeologists and completed the exploration of 980,000 square meters. To reduce the influence on local farm work, the exploration makes use of drones and real-time kinematic measurements, improving information collection efficiency, data quality and management.