Gao Chongwen, director of the archaeological institute of Peking University, said the find was the largest of its kind and would offer more clues for archaeological research.

Chinese archaeologists discovered the slips in a 16-meter deep well in an ancient city which was located at Liye Village, Longshan County in Hunan, in an area expected to be swamped in the construction of a hydropower station.

So far, the content of four of the slips has been deciphered. The first slip recorded a multiplication table, the second held the name of the ancient city, the third reflected the relationships of local ethnic groups and the fourth was engraved with historical data concerning the Qin Dynasty (BC221-BC207) which followed the Warring States Period.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2002)