LANZHOU, Oct. 26 -- Chinese archaeologists have discovered more than 40 rock paintings in northwestern Gansu Province that may shed light on nomadic lives thousands of years ago.

Found in the Chijinshan Valley near Jinchang City, the paintings depict human faces, animals and hunting scenes. They were carved on smooth cliffs and remain well-preserved, according to the Gansu provincial cultural heritage administration.

Researchers said the majority of paintings were created in the period between the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC - 221 BC) and the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), similar to the 200 rock paintings discovered in Jinchang in the 1990s.

Gansu was home to many ancient nomadic settlements in early Chinese history. Murals offer precious clues to studies on their lives due to a lack of historical records in this regard.