Description : Lajia (Chinese: 喇家; pinyin: Lǎjiā) is an archaeological site located in Minhe County, Haidong Prefecture in Northwest China's Qinghai province. Lajia is associated with the Qijia culture and was discovered by archaeologists in 2000. The site covers an area of around 200,000 square meters. In 2002, the oldest intact noodles yet discovered were located at Lajia, estimated at over 4,000 years old. The noodles were made from foxtail and broomcorn millet. A study of the site's faunal remains revealed that sheep were the most common domesticated species in the area, followed by pigs and cattle. The remains suggest that sheep may have been exploited for meat at the site, rather than for wool or milk.
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