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Chinese archaeologists have embarked on their inaugural South American expedition to uncover ancestral connections between ancient Chinese and native American civilizations. This groundbreaking endeavor stems from a recent agreement forged by research institutions from both nations in Supe, Peru. The Chinese team will collaborate with Peruvian counterparts in the Caral archaeological zone, hailed as the oldest known urban center in the Americas.

The joint archaeological venture will commence with comprehensive field surveys in the Chancay-Huaral and Supe river basins, focusing on critical sites such as the Sacred City of Caral and the coastal settlement of Aspero. Jia Xiaobing, a representative from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology, spearheaded the Chinese delegation during the signing ceremony in Supe.

Jia emphasized that the collaboration would encompass field surveys, excavations, advanced archaeological technologies, heritage conservation, and researcher training.

Archaeologists posit that both Chinese and American civilizations may share a common ancestral lineage, despite their geographical separation by vast oceans. Notably, Chinese and Peruvian civilizations exhibit intriguing parallels in fields such as astronomical observation and spiritual beliefs, as highlighted by Jia’s institute.

The Chinese archaeological team aims to gather firsthand data on early American civilizations, contributing to comparative studies of ancient societies across the Pacific Rim and offering a unique Chinese academic viewpoint to global research on the origins of early complex societies.

The research partnership is poised for expansion into the Andean highlands to investigate the remnants of the Inca civilization, allowing for a comparative analysis of ancient societies in China and South America. The Peruvian team, led by the Ministry of Culture and the National University of San Marcos, will leverage China’s expertise in archaeological technologies and cultural heritage conservation.

The joint excavations could provide tangible evidence to deepen our understanding of how these distant civilizations evolved along different trajectories, according to the institute.

This project also serves as a model for archaeological cooperation between Global South countries. It is the latest chapter in China's expanding global footprint in archaeology. Over the past decade, Jia’s institute has conducted fieldwork in Egypt, Honduras, Uzbekistan, Romania, and Pakistan. Moreover, in April, the institute launched a joint archaeological initiative in Greece.

Jia, speaking to China News Service, expressed that overseas excavations have enabled Chinese archaeologists to assume a more prominent role in the study of world civilizations, introducing an Eastern perspective and Chinese insights to the field.

China aims to transition its archaeology from a domestically-focused field to one with a global impact. The longer-term objective is to develop distinctly Chinese perspectives on the understanding of civilizations and history, integrating these viewpoints into global research to construct a more comprehensive picture of the human past, as stated by Jia.