Ancient warriors cemetery discovered in C. China
www.chinaview.cn 2006-10-13 15:48:55
ZHENGZHOU, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese archaeologists have discovered a warriors cemetery dating back to the Warring State (475-221 B.C.) in central China's Henan Province.
The graveyard was found during implementation of a culture relics protection project at Wuligang Hill of Tangyin County.
The warriors cemetery covers an area of 200,000 square meters where more than 200 tombs had already been unearthed. There is an estimation of 500 tombs in the cemetery, according to the archaeologists.
"No funeral objects were unearthed. The tomb owners were all young male people, " said Kong Demin, an official with local archaeology department, adding the clues proves that the tombs were warriors tombs.
"The tombs, all in same construction form, are lining up in order," he said. This also indicates the area was used as warriors cemetery.
Archaeologists had discovered some tombs near the area in 1982,the expert said.
During the excavations in 1982, many skeletons with wound marks from knife-cuts or arrow-hits were unearthed from the tombs, he added.
"A famous war between ancient Chinese kingdoms, involved over 100,000 warriors, occurred at a battlefield, where Tangyin county lies, in 257 B.C.," said Hao Benxing, researcher with the Henan Provincial Institute of Culture Relics and Archaeology. Enditem
Editor: Wang Yan
www.chinaview.cn 2006-10-13 16:43:42
SHIJIAZHUANG, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- 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.
Measures have been taken to protect the tombs. Enditem
Editor: Wang Yan