The loving embrace of a mother and child has lasted 4,000 years, as Chinese archaeologists found when they discovered their interlocked skeletons.
The mother is believed to have been trying to protect her child during a powerful earthquake that hit Qinghai province, central China, in about 2,000 BC.
The remains were dug up on an early Bronze Age archaeological site branded the 'Pompeii of the East', the People's Daily Online reported.
Experts believe the site was hit by an earthquake and flooding of the Yellow River, but are yet to understand the exact scale of the disaster.
However, the catastrophe is thought to have wiped out the entire settlement, leading to comparisons with Pompeii - although the site, known as Lajia - is more than 2,000 years older than the ancient Roman city.
The incredibly well-preserved site paints a tragic picture of people trying to their families in the midst of a terrifying earthquake.
The Lajia site is the largest disaster excavation site in China at nearly 40,000 square feet and was first discovered in the early 2000s.
The excavation site is of particular historical importance because it holds clues to an early Bronze Age civilisation that lived in the upper Yellow River region.
The skeletons are now on display at the Lajia Ruins Museum.
From Dailymail
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