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April 24, 2012 | Ancient tomb and artifacts discovered in E China |
Jinan:Chinese archaeologists have discovered a tomb where an ancient warlord may have once rested, as well as a collection of artifacts dating back more than 2,500 years. The tomb was found near a tourist
resort in Yishui county in east China 's Shandong province in January. Several
bronze weapons, musical utensils, pieces of jade jewelry and ritual utensils have
been unearthed from the site since then. Judging from the size of the tomb and
the scale and type of artifacts it contained, it may have contained the body of
a dignitary who lived about 2,600 years ago during the Eastern Zhou Period (770
- 256 BC), said Hao Daohua, a researcher from the Shandong Archaeology Research
Institute and leader of the excavation project. The Eastern Zhou Period was a
chaotic time in Chinese history, marked by wars between the small kingdoms that
occupied several areas in east and central China . Hao said the archaeologists
have been puzzled at the fact that they have been unable to find the remains of
the tomb's owner, despite months of digging in the tomb. "We need to do more research
to determine whether the owner of the tomb was a man or a woman," Hao said. "It
could be a warlord or his concubine. The person was a dignitary, that much is
certain." He said experts with the State Heritage Bureau have been summoned to
help solve the mystery, adding that the excavation team has thus far relied on
inscriptions on bronze pots to derive the identity of the missing owner. The tomb
is situated at the top of a steep hill, an unusual burial site in comparison to
the mountains where ancient aristocrats were usually buried. However, its unique
location has also helped it avoid the reach of tomb raiders over the years, the
archaeologists said. Authorities on Monday ordered the site to be sealed off for
protection. "In many aspects, this tomb is quite different. Unveiling these mysteries
will help us understand more about the lives of ancient warlords," said Sun Shiqin,
deputy chief of the Shandong provincial cultural relics bureau.
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