Archeologists have found that ancient Chinese who lived 3,000 years ago were good at using wooden spade as we use metal spade today.
This is the result of study of a wooden spade recently unearthed in this northwest China province of Shaanxi.
The wooden spade had decayed into ashes but its form had remained intact when it was discovered in an ash pit once used by people of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1066-771 B.C.). Archeologists therefore were able to reproduce the spade to its original scale, which measures 56 centimeters in length, with a 36-centimeter long handle.
Experts say the spade, which resembles the little shovels used by scientists in fieldwork today, has provided an important clew to their study on the Zhou people's life and production.