{
  "id": 3273685,
  "title": "China sends archaeologists to South America to trace ancestral links for the first time",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/china-sends-archaeologists-to-south-america-to-trace-ancestral-links",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-25T14:00:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3365148/china-sends-archaeologists-south-america-trace-ancestral-links-first-time"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chinese archaeologists are embarking on their first field project in South America to uncover ancestral connections between ancient Chinese and native American civilizations. This collaboration, initiated by an agreement signed in Supe, Peru on Friday, will see experts from China and Peru work together in the Caral archaeological zone, the birthplace of the oldest known urban center in the Americas.\n\nThe joint archaeological team will begin by conducting field surveys in the Chancay-Huaral and Supe river basins, focusing on key sites such as the Sacred City of Caral and coastal settlement of Aspero. Jia Xiaobing, representing the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology, highlighted that the partnership would encompass field surveys, excavations, the application of advanced archaeological technologies, heritage conservation, and researcher training.\n\nThe archaeological community posits that both Chinese and American civilizations share a common ancestry. Despite their geographical separation, China and Peru have intriguing similarities in areas like astronomical observation and spiritual beliefs, according to a statement from Jia’s institute. The Chinese team aims to gather first-hand archaeological data on early American civilizations, which will facilitate comparative studies of ancient societies across the Pacific Rim and provide a unique Chinese academic viewpoint to global research on the origins of early complex societies.\n\nInitially, the project will focus on the Caral civilization, which emerged around 5,000 years ago. Its inhabitants constructed expansive settlements and monumental architecture long before pottery became widespread in the region, and the civilization thrived for over a thousand years. The research cooperation is anticipated to broaden to the Andean highlands to investigate the remains of the Inca civilization, thereby enabling a comparative study of ancient societies in China and South America.\n\nThe 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. This collaboration is also intended as a blueprint for archaeological cooperation between countries in the Global South. The Peru project marks the latest in a growing global footprint for Chinese archaeology, with Jia’s institute having conducted fieldwork in Egypt, Honduras, Uzbekistan, Romania, and Pakistan over the past decade. In April, the institute also launched a joint archaeological project in Greece.\n\nJia Xiaobing emphasized that these overseas excavations allow Chinese archaeologists to assume a more significant role in the study of world civilizations, offering an \"Eastern perspective and Chinese insights\" to the field. China aims to transform its archaeology from a discipline primarily focused on domestic discoveries into one with a global reach. The ultimate objective is to develop distinctive Chinese perspectives on understanding civilizations and history, integrating these viewpoints into global research to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of humanity’s past.",
  "summary": "Chinese archaeologists are heading to South America for the first field project on the continent in search of ancestral bonds between ancient Chinese and native American civilisations. Under an agreement signed by national research institutions from the two countries in Supe, Peru on Friday, archaeologists from China will soon start working with their Peruvian counterparts in the Caral…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "El Pais English",
        "title": "Race to the Moon takes a new turn: China’s setback reignites competition with US to conquer South Pole",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/race-to-the-moon-takes-a-new-turn-chinas-setback-reignites",
        "published": "2026-08-25T13:27:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "US admits defeat in China minerals race. Can Brazil turn panic into processing power?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/us-admits-defeat-in-china-minerals-race-can-brazil-turn-panic-into",
        "published": "2026-08-25T13:48:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}