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.

Heartbreaking: Skeletal remains show the mother kneeling down on the ground with her arms around her son in central China

Clinging on: Another pair of skeletons found at the Chinese archaeological site also appear to be embracing each other

Victims: The well-preserved remains show the deceased’s final moments before a devastating earthquake hit the village

Tragic: Photographs of the site of devastation were released last week and have touched people across China

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.