HOHHOT - Archeologists in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region said Monday they have found the ruins of two prehistoric villages in Tongliao City of eastern Inner Mongolia.

The ruins in Hamin'aile Village, of Horqin Left-wing Middle Banner (County), were identified in the spring as possibly originating from Hongshan Culture, dating back 5,000 years, said Ji Ping, a researcher at the Institute of Cultural and Historical Relics and Archaeology of Inner Mongolia.

About 1,200 square meters had been excavated out of an estimated 200,000 square meters, and homes and tombs had been discovered, Ji said.

"Pitted earthenware, such as jars and pots, were also found, which was the first time that have been unearthed in the prehistoric ruins in northeast China," he said.

"We have also found bones of deer and rodent animals, on which we suppose they lived by hunting," he added.

Another group of prehistoric village ruins were located in Nanbaoligaotu Village, of Jarud Banner, with a total area of 10,000 square meters, and more than 200 articles of earthenware, stoneware and jadeware had been discovered.

Unlike the Hamin'aile Village finds, the jade articles in Nanbaoligaotu Village were made with white jade, which was mainly found around Lake Baikal in Russia. They were the first such discoveries in northeast China, said Ji.

The finds have provided vital information for the research of the prehistoric culture of the region, he said.