Source: CCTV.com

11-30-2007 10:54

Farmers in Jingzhou, in central China's Hubei province make a rare find: with the discovery of a well-preserved ancient tomb. Inside was a coffin dating back more than two-thousand years. Archeologists have just opened it, seeking to unlock the secrets of the past.

Archeologists call the tomb Xiejia Yihao, literally Family Xie No.1. The name comes from the bridge nearby, in the village of Guanju, Jingzhou city. The tomb is nearly 5-meters long by 3-meters wide. Each side of the coffin was made from a single piece of wood.

Yan Pin, director of Heritage Bureau of Jingzhou City, said, "It's among the few well-preserved tombs found in China. It's one of 10-thousand, based on my own experiences in archaeology over decades."