GUANGZHOU, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists in Guangzhou, capital of southern China's Guangdong Province, have excavated ancient tombs at Sun Yat-sen University as well as pottery vessels.

The tombs were found at the university's south campus, where a new student canteen was under construction. The city's cultural relics and archaeology institute have stepped in to carry out rescue excavations.

"Several tombs dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and from the period of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) have been discovered, as well as cultural relics such as water wells of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)," said Yi Xibing, vice dean of the institute.

Yi also said the completeness of the tombs have been seriously compromised by human activities.

The location of the campus, with a higher elevation, is believed to be suitable for the ancients to live and to be buried after death. Prehistoric stone objects were found here in the 1950s.

The campus was recognized as the city's first batch of burial areas for cultural relics in 2014.