BEIJING, May 15: Chinese archeologists have discovered what could well be a local version of Italy’s Pompeii, in the form of an entire village destroyed in an earthquake nearly 700 years ago, state media said on Sunday. The hitherto unknown village, located in northern Hebei province, appears to have been a booming commercial centre during the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 AD), the Xinhua news agency reported.
Unlike the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, which disappeared when nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, this village appears to have fallen victim to a major earthquake, according to Xinhua.
Other explanations cited by the agency include four successive floods hitting the area around the time when the village met its abrupt end.
Chinese archeologists stumbled on the find by accident. It was uncovered during excavation work for a nearby highway, Xinhua said. —AFP
