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Chinese civilisation is traditionally said to have originated in central China, by the Yellow River, when the first Xia Dynasty ruled the region around 4,000 years ago.

But a separate, complex society may have originated around 2,400 years earlier in the north-east of the country and gradually spread south, a study has suggested. 

Until now the Hongshan culture had not been credited as being the source of Chinese civilisation because it was understood to have been a small, remote and self-contained culture miles away from the river.

Chinese culture and civilisation is traditionally said to have originated by the Yellow River (pictured) when the first Xia Dynasty ruled the region, but new research suggests a complex civilisation not only originated around 2,400 years earlier, it may have been rooted across Inner Mongolia instead

The first evidence of the Hongshan culture, including pottery and jade, was found in the Chifeng Shi region, north of Beijing.

But researchers from the Institute of Geochemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences wanted to see if the culture spread more widely.

In an attempt to discover more about the little-known people, the team studied sediment and desert lands in Hunshandake, in Inner Mongolia.

The area is approximately 185 miles (300km) from where the first Hongshan discoveries were made and is part of China's desert belt - a region of arid and sandy landscapes.

During the dig, archaeologists found evidence of Hongshan pottery and stone artefacts suggesting the region once housed a large population of Hongshan people.

This suggests the culture was far more wide-reaching than first thought, and may have been more complex.

The team also studied environmental changes over the past 10,000 years by analysing patterns and depressions in the sand dunes.

Researchers studied desert lands in Hunshandake, Inner Mongolia (pictured). The area is 185 miles (300km) from where the first Hongshan discoveries were made and during the dig, archaeologists found evidence of Hongshan artefacts suggesting the region once housed a large population of Hongshan people

The team also studied environmental changes in Hunshandake (illustrated) and found the area was once covered in rivers and lakes, making it ideal for the Hongshan people to live. However, when this water dried up the Hongshan people may have migrated and played a formative role in setting up Chinese civilisation

It discovered the area was once covered in rivers and lakes, between 5,000 and 9,000 years ago, and birch and spruce trees would have lined these waterways.

This would have made it an ideal environment for the Hongshan people to live.

However, this water dried up and the area became more arid around 4,200 years ago.

The experts speculate that this could have forced the Hongshan people to leave the area and migrate south towards the river, meaning they may have played a formative role in establishing Chinese civilisation.

Hongshan is known for carved artefacts, jade dragons (example pictured) and figurines. The discovery of such artefacts in Hunshandake suggests it was more wide-reaching and complex than first thought

'For the first time to our knowledge we present a case of desertification mainly triggered by changes associated with climate change,' explained the researchers.

'Our research on the interactions in the Hunshandake suggests Chinese civilisation may be rooted in the marginal areas in the north, rather than in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.'

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

During a separate dig, Chinese archaeologists unearthed relics of musical instruments from a complex of tombs in Zaoyang city, Hubei.

A stringed instrument, known as a Se, and a frame to hold chime bells were among the items excavated from the grave site. 

The Se is said to be the earliest ever found in China and will help expert study the musical development from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Warring States Period.