Source: CCTV.com

01-09-2007 09:31

A ancient tomb has been found in Central China, apparently that of an official in The Warring States Period. The site, in Henan Province, has excited historians with its sheer size, and by the status of its former owner.

The tomb, found southeast of Yanjiang Village, is composed of two main parts - tunnel and burial chamber. Part of the 3,000 year old coffin has started to rot. But skeletal remains are still discernible.

Archeologists also found remains of who they believe were two slaves, accompanying their master in the afterlife. This led them to conclude the man was an aristocrat.

The assumption was reinforced by a wide range of ceremonial articles, including bronze utensils and jade ware. The inscription on an urn was written in the language of the Zhou Dynasty, predating the Warring States Period. This firmly places the tomb in a crucial transition of Chinese history.

 

Editor:Lu Yuying