Beijing: Chinese archaeologists have started a three-month excavation project in north China`s Hebei Province to discover an ancient state capital dating back to more than 3,000 years.

The excavation project is taking place in the Caijiafen village. The State Administration of Cultural Heritage has approved the excavation in April.

Archaeologists and historians believe that Caijiafen village has served as the capital of Guzhu state, a vassal state of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC to 1046 BC), according to Xie Fei, an expert from the Hebei Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau.

The excavation will help in unveiling the history and culture of the ancient state, Xie told state-run Xinhua news agency.

About 30 archaeologists from Renmin University and Hebei Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau are participating in the excavation project.

PTI