About 1,100 cultural relics were unearthed at Olympics venue construction sites in Beijing last year, local authorities have said.

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Ten Olympic construction sites were concerned, Shu said.

Last year, Beijing launched 17 cultural relics preservation projects, 10 of which have been completed, including the renovation of the Great Bell Temple, Shu said.

Local authorities also excavated about 150 ancient tombs dating from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) to the Qing Dynasty on the Beijing section of China's south-to-north water diversion project, which will divert water from the Yangtze River to water-starved northern areas, the official said.

More than 2,000 cultural relics were unearthed in the tombs, Shu said.