On October 18, the National Cultural Heritage Administration, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and other departments, announced the launch of the “National Archaeological Talent Revitalization Plan Project Management Measures,” which aims to implement a five-year initiative to boost talent in the archaeological field. This program, referred to as the “Talent Revitalization Project,” will support the selection of 100 innovative teams in archaeological research, providing them with funding for integrated archaeological studies, technological methods, and conservation techniques.

Each selected team will receive support for a maximum of five years, with funding capped at 1.2 million yuan. The objective of the Talent Revitalization Project is to focus on training and team building, emphasizing significant foundational research, the application of technological methods, and key techniques within the cultural heritage sector.

The project outlines three primary areas of focus. The first area is comprehensive archaeological research, which includes major foundational topics such as human origins, the origins of agriculture, the rise of civilizations, studies on ancient material culture and societal development, as well as the examination of ancient thoughts and cultural exchanges between ancient China and the world. The second area involves archaeological technological methods, including research and application demonstrations related to population evolution, resources, and technologies. The third area focuses on conservation techniques, tackling common key technologies for the emergency response, preservation, and information extraction of archaeological artifacts, as well as the protection and restoration of artifacts unearthed or retrieved from water.

Teams that successfully complete the program will see their lead members recognized as “Leading Talents in Archaeology,” while secondary leaders will be designated as “Young Talents in Archaeology.” Key team members will be acknowledged as “Core Scientific Research Contributors in Archaeology.”