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Rare Green Crystals Found In 2,500-Year-Old Tomb (China)
China Daily ^ | 7-4-2007 | Xinhua

Posted on 07/05/2007 10:45:36 AM PDT by blam

Rare green crystals found in 2,500-year-old tomb

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-07-04 16:43

JING'AN -- Chinese archaeologists exploring a 2,500-year-old tomb in east China's Jiangxi province that contained 47 coffins in a remarkable state of preservation were stunned to discover several pieces of green crystal lodged in the bones of the skeletons in the coffins.

One of the diamond-shaped crystals was 8.5 centimeters long.

The coffins also contained bronze, gold, silk, porcelain and jade items and even body tissue.

Archaeologists said the crystals appeared to have "grown" in the bones. They pointed out that the coffins were made from halved nanmu, a rare and extremely durable wood, and covered in white plaster and a layer of loess.

The fact that the coffins were fire-heated to make them waterproof and airtight may be a factor in the creation of the crystals. Classically, crystals are formed when rocks are heated and then cool slowly over time.

Archaeologists said there were no previous records of green-colored crystals being found in tombs and said they would help scientists understand changes to the human body in different conditions.

According to Wang Yarong, an academician with Chinese Academy of Social Science, a few white crystals were found in the Mawangdui Western Han Tombs (206 B.C.- 24) in central China's Changsha, capital of Hunan province. Researchers said they were the result of crystallization of amino acid.

Discovered in December 2006, the tomb in Lijia village in Jing'an county in Jiangxi is 16 meters long, about 11.5 meters wide and three meters deep. It is believed to date back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-221 B.C.).

This is the largest group of coffins ever discovered in a single tomb in China, prompting cultural experts to dub the excavation "the most important archaeology project of the year".

Scientists say that the body tissue discovered in the coffins are human brains that have shrunk to the size of a fist but retained their original structure complete with two cerebral hemispheres, cerebel and brainstem.

"This is the first time such complete old brain structures have been found in southern China and they will be extremely useful for the study of humans in the pre-Qin era (770-221 BC)," said Zhu Hong, a palaeoanthropological expert from Jilin University.

Zhu said the unique burial style could explain why the skeleton and the brain tissue had been preserved so well in an area where the soil was acidic and unsuited to the preservation of human bodies.

The coffins, 2.5 to 2.8 meters long and 0.5 meters wide, were laid out side by side in an orderly fashion.

Thirteen of the coffins have now been transferred to a nearby storehouse to be kept in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment.

The main coffin, weighing more than a ton, was opened at about 10 a.m. Monday. Archaeologists found a round, exquisitely-made piece of gold foil as well as a jade pendant in the shape of a dragon. Experts believe the two treasured decorative items could be symbols of the dead person's social status or political power.

In another coffin, archaeologists found a beautifully-preserved skeleton lying on its right side.

"The coffins were tightly sealed and there was very little oxygen in there for bacteria to reproduce. This may explain why most of the skeletons are intact," said Zhu.

The discovery will provide valuable clues to the study of social customs, funeral rites and lifestyles in the area 2,500 years ago, experts said.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; crystals; godsgravesglyphs; rare; tomb
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No pictures.
1 posted on 07/05/2007 10:45:41 AM PDT by blam
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To: SunkenCiv

GGG Ping.


2 posted on 07/05/2007 10:46:13 AM PDT by blam (Secure the border and enforce the law)
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To: blam

KRYPTONITE!!!!!


3 posted on 07/05/2007 10:46:48 AM PDT by KingLiberty (As 12th Imam I declare 'Give me liberty or give me. . . twins would be nice.')
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To: blam

Kryptonite in the bones? Superman? So the legend was true.


4 posted on 07/05/2007 10:47:45 AM PDT by KingLiberty (As 12th Imam I declare 'Give me liberty or give me. . . twins would be nice.')
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To: blam
Vulcans were first to discover earth?.......

and covered in white plaster and a layer of loess.

Obviously Loess is more......

5 posted on 07/05/2007 10:47:47 AM PDT by Red Badger (No wonder Mexico is so filthy. Everybody who does cleaning jobs is HERE!.......)
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To: KingLiberty
KRYPTONITE!!!!!

You beat me to it!

6 posted on 07/05/2007 10:48:03 AM PDT by American Quilter (BUILD THE FENCE. NO AMNESTY.)
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To: blam

Superman is not happy!


7 posted on 07/05/2007 10:48:25 AM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: AdmSmith

pong


8 posted on 07/05/2007 10:48:34 AM PDT by nuconvert ([there are bad people in the pistachio business] (...but his head is so tiny...))
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To: American Quilter

Beat you to it? You can have it. But then again, I am faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than, cough, what, krytonil l . . . .good knowing you pardner.


9 posted on 07/05/2007 10:49:30 AM PDT by KingLiberty (As 12th Imam I declare 'Give me liberty or give me. . . twins would be nice.')
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To: blam

Clearly all the makings of a great Doctor Who episode, apart from the glowing green Chinese zombies and the disembodied alien intelligence that controls them.


10 posted on 07/05/2007 10:49:34 AM PDT by dr_who_2
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To: blam
a few white crystals were found in the Mawangdui Western Han Tombs (206 B.C.- 24) in central China's Changsha,

Identification was impossible since they were snorted within seconds by Roger Clinton.

11 posted on 07/05/2007 10:50:27 AM PDT by CholeraJoe ("Monet should have been smothered as a child." Pablo Picasso)
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To: blam

Maybe the rocks in my joints explains the popping noises when I move these days...


12 posted on 07/05/2007 10:51:39 AM PDT by FRForever (http://www.constitutionparty.com)
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To: blam

Looks a burnoose.

13 posted on 07/05/2007 10:52:45 AM PDT by Tribune7
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To: blam

The first Alien implants....it’s all true...


14 posted on 07/05/2007 10:57:18 AM PDT by baclava
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To: blam
JING'AN -- Chinese archaeologists .. were stunned to discover several pieces of green crystal lodged in the bones of the skeletons in the coffins. .. Archaeologists said the crystals appeared to have "grown" in the bones. They

Can't be, this takes millions of years. /sarc

15 posted on 07/05/2007 10:58:13 AM PDT by aimhigh
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To: aimhigh

I can grow crystals in less than an hour. I don’t understand the point you are trying to make.


16 posted on 07/05/2007 11:03:26 AM PDT by Clam Digger
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To: dr_who_2

I love the new Doctor Who. Liked the first new Doctor better than the second one, but he’s grown on me, too. We get Doctor Who on the CBC up here and I was rather disgusted this Monday to find they had nothing but soccer on that night, rather than the usual new Doctor Who episode. They’d better not skip an episode, or I’ll be pissed.


17 posted on 07/05/2007 11:07:49 AM PDT by -YYZ- (Strong like bull, smart like ox.)
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To: -YYZ-

Haven’t gotten into the new series. Might rent a few DVDs later though.


18 posted on 07/05/2007 11:09:14 AM PDT by dr_who_2
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To: dr_who_2

Yes, you really should. I think the new series is very entertaining. The production values have improved a bit, too.


19 posted on 07/05/2007 11:12:35 AM PDT by -YYZ- (Strong like bull, smart like ox.)
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To: dr_who_2
and the disembodied alien intelligence

We prefer the term "corporeal-challenged guest intelligence"...

20 posted on 07/05/2007 11:14:38 AM PDT by Technogeeb
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