Ancient Chinese Cemetery Is Unearthed in Hubei Province

An ancient cemetery packed with more than 100 tombs and cultural artifacts has been found by archaeologists in China’s Hubei province.

Last summer, the Baizhuang Cemetery in the city of Xiangyang was discovered by the Xiangyang Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology during excavations for an infrastructure project, Newsweek reported.

There, after cleaning, they found 176 tombs. Two dated to the Han dynasty period (206 BCE to 220 CE), while the rest are pit tombs from the Warring States period (5th century BCE to 221 BCE).

Characterized by war between Chinese kingdoms battling for dominance, the era was one of the most influential in the country’s history, with the establishment of the first unified Chinese state.

Little information about life during that time was available until recent decades. However, many philosophies and mythologies that characterize Chinese culture originated during this time.

Nine tombs from the Warring States period are medium-sized with sloped passages. The largest ones are more than 30 feet long and more than 16 feet wide. The rest are smaller in size and don’t have passages.

Archaeologists also identified more than 500 cultural objects, among them pottery shards and bronze artifacts such as swords and spears, as well as wooden utensils and jade rings.

One of the larger tombs contained bronze ritual vessels, swords, and spoons. Nearby, the team found a chariot and horse burial pit, with the remains of two horses and a cart. Researchers believe both the tomb and and pit likely belonged to a high-ranking nobleman.