Ancient relics dug up in Kowloon
Coins, ceramics and wells – some dating back to the Song dynasty – found during railway work
Priceless relics dating back more than seven centuries could shed new light on the ancient history of Hong Kong after being unearthed during work on a railway line in Kowloon City.
The relics include coins, ceramics, a kiln, the remains of buildings and two wells. They were found as part of a survey carried out on behalf of the MTR Corporation by archaeologist Dr Liu Wensuo, close to the route of the Sha Tin to Central Link.
No decision has been made on what will happen to the antiquities - and whether the site, which will not have to make way for the MTR line, could be preserved and opened to visitors.
The relics were found near one of the city's most important monuments, Sung Wong Toi, a stone with carvings indicating it once sheltered two 13th-century emperors. They are believed to date from various historical periods - from the Song (960-1279AD) and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties to the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912.
Among the findings were a square well, said to be largely intact, which preliminary findings suggested dated to the Song era. A more modern, round well was in a poorer condition.
Wells generally indicate an established human settlement, said Chinese University anthropologist Professor Tracey Lie-dan Lu. That made the site particularly important to understanding Hong Kong's past.