Archaeologists in central China's Hunan Province have unearthed a kiln that once produced porcelain during the Northern Song Dynasty almost 1,000 years ago, said the provincial archaeological research institute on Sunday.

Ancient kiln unearthed in central China

The discovery revealed that production of ceramics began 680 years earlier than previously thought in Lilin City, one of China's most famous porcelain centers. Before now, production in the city was believed to have begun in 1729, said Hu Jianjun, an archaeologist with the institute.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 pieces of porcelain have also been unearthed from the ancient kiln named Machong in the two-month excavation since August, he said.

The Machong Kiln is one of the three kilns discovered in the 5,000-square-meter excavation site in Tangjia'ao Village, but the other two are yet to be excavated.

Archaeologists are excavating the kilns as a highway will be built where they presently are.