TAIYUAN, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Some Buddhist murals dating back to the Yuan and Ming dynasties (1206-1644) were recently discovered in a cave in northern China's Shanxi Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

The murals were found by a local photographer in an abandoned cave, located in Sanjiao Village in Jishan County.

The murals depicted Buddha statues, dragons and phoenixes, peonies and lotus flowers.

Zhao Wuqi, director of the county's cultural relics and tourism management and service center, said personnel have been dispatched to patrol the area and protect the murals.

Experts said that based on the paintings and styles, the murals were created between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. But the specific age needs further verification.