2000 Year Old Tombs Uncovered
Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2006 at 8:30 AM by Sifu Smith
Posted in Stories
Chinese archaeologists have unearthed seven large tombs, including a
grave of aristocrats, dating back 2,000 years in North China's Hebei
Province. The seven tombs, six belonging to the Warring State (475-221
B.C.) and one belonging to the Eastern Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD),
were found at a construction site in the Xuanhua District of Zhangjiakou
City.
According to archaeologists from local archaeology research institute, more than 20 pieces of jade articles, bronze items, lacquer work and pottery objects were unearthed from the tombs. All the tombs were well formed with chamber size ranging from two to five square meters. The owners of the Han tomb were a couple and owners of other tombs were buried individually.
The owner of the No. 2 tomb, the largest, was found in a coffin with outside cover, indicating his high social status of noble during the time, the archaeologists said. Grave robbers had broken into the tomb, stealing many funerary objects and causing serious damage. Fortunately, the coffin remained intact, they said.
The tomb was of great value in the study of the culture, social development and funeral customs of Warring State and the Han Dynasty, the experts said.
2000 Year Old Tombs Uncovered Edited on: Sunday, October 15, 2006 7:29 AM