XINING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- An ancient rock painting site has been discovered in the Tongtian River basin in the source area of the Yangtze River in northwest China's Qinghai Province, according to local authorities.

The site is located on a cliff at an altitude of 4,094 meters in Chumarle County in the province's Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The rock paintings of the site feature nomadic style of life on the grasslands in northern China, according to Jamyang Nyima, head of the Yushu research institute of history and culture.

The new discovery will provide important evidence for studying the culture at the source of the Yangtze River, Jamyang Nyima said, adding that the date of the site has not yet been determined.

So far, over 60 sites of nearly 10,000 rock paintings have been discovered in the Tongtian River basin, with the earliest dating back some 3,200 years.

The rock paintings are rich in images. In addition to human figures, there are animal images such as yaks, deer, wolves, tigers, horses and camels, as well as images of two-wheeled vehicles, among other symbols.