Cybersleuths can help find lost relics

People examine relics on Tuesday that were recovered in a special operation in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The launch of China's national internet platform that provides information about lost or stolen cultural relics will help netizens create even more successes. [Photo by Huo Yan/China Daily]

Website lets public view images, details to locate historic artifacts

China's national internet platform featuring information about lost or stolen cultural relics went online on Thursday in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.

Its goal is to return home listed national treasures.

The bilingual website bdww.sach.gov.cn, in Chinese and English, was launched due to joint efforts from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage and Ministry of Public Security.

According to Liu Yuzhu, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, about 2,230 entries from 19 province-level administrative regions nationwide have been included in the database. Some 200 of them were first released online and the rest will be added gradually for the public, with additional entries constantly being added to the online platform.

Liu said on Thursday in Xi'an that the platform will refer "to criteria of the database on lost art pieces of the International Criminal Police Organization", or Interpol.

"The data is also uploaded to the database of Interpol to enhance international cooperation," he said. "It is also to facilitate repatriation of lost Chinese cultural relics."

Each entry includes pictures and basic information of the lost items, such as the time it was lost, historical background, location, condition and the technique used to make it.