tombArchaeologists have unearthed over 70 ancient tombs
belonging to noble families in Jintang County of Chengdu, capital
of southwest China's Sichuan Province. Investigations show the
region had over 40 tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty (206
B.C.-220 A.D.), over 20 tombs to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and
over 10 tombs for the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911)
Dynasties.
To date, all unearthed tombs have been excavated with the aim of
cultural relic protection. Interspersed at a construction site
covering an area of 800 mu (about 53 ha), the tombs were built in
brick form or earthen structures.
The majority of tombs built in the Han Dynasty had three or five
internal chambers made of brick but many have been looted.
The largest tomb, dating from the Han Dynasty, is about nine
meters long and four meters wide, in which a stone coffin was
found.
According to archaeologists, the earth around these tombs was
pounded and they were surprised to see that tomb bricks were carved
with fine patterns of strings of beads, rhombus, dragons and
phoenixes.
The experts said the tombs belonged to noble families of the
dynasties during a period of 1,000 years, judging from the size of
the tombs, building materials and funeral objects.
"It is clear the families enjoyed a high social status because
the funeral objects are valuable," said Wang Yi, director of local
archaeological research institute.
Besides abundant pottery ware, bronze items and coins,
archaeologists also unearthed ten stone figure-shaped
sculptures.
"Such stone sculptures were used to decorate tomb chambers and
are only seen at the ancient tombs of the nobility," Wang said.
These statues are greatly significant in studying the ancient
funerary rituals.
(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2006)