JINAN, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Local authorities discovered an ancient workplace of artisan workers dating back to the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC) in Zoucheng City, east China's Shandong Province, said local authorities Wednesday.

The building foundations of the workshop are located in the ancient capital city ruins of Zhu State and are believed to have been turned into a local government office during the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) and Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220).

At the workshop site, 821 pieces of sealing clay, 243 potteries, pottery shards with some of the above characters, and seals used by local government officials were also unveiled during the excavation.

The discovery can help reveal the changes in the ancient capital city during the period, providing a valuable epitome of ancient China's unification history, said Lu Guoquan, a professor from the School of History and Culture, Shandong University.