Chinese archaeologists have recovered more than 10,000 gold and silver items that sank to the bottom of a river in southwestern Sichuan Province over 300 years ago.
The items included gold, silver and bronze coins and jewellery as well as weapons such as swords, knifes and spears.
The treasure site is located in the intersection of Minjiang River and its branch Jinjiang River.
It is believed that in 1646, peasant uprising leader Zhang Xianzhong was defeated in the area by Ming Dynasty soldiers while attempting to transfer his treasure to the south. Boats loaded with valuables sank during the skirmish.
The objects have helped identify the area where the battle was fought and are direct evidence of this historical event.
Sichuan launched the exploration project in January when the dry season arrived.