Six leather shoes, dating back some 2,000 years ago, have been discovered at a relic site in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province.

The leather shoes, from the Han Dynasty (205 BC-220 AD), are the oldest leather shoes found in China, indicating that the history of China's leather shoe-making is some 1,000 years longer than previously believed, said He Shuangquan, an archaeologist from Gansu Province.

The newly found, well-preserved shoes were made for children, aged three to six years old, said He, who is in charge of the excavation of the ancient site at Xuanquanzhi in the desert of Dunhuang.

The yellow-colored shoes were made from cattle hide, with a round toe and flat sole. One of the shoes is laced. The leather was not polished, and the threads can still be seen on the shoes, he said.

"We can see that leather shoe-making skills of that time was quite close to that of today," He added.

Other precious relics found there include books, letters, animal and plant remains as well as daily necessities.

(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2006)