Trove of rare tombs — some with preserved bones — unearthed in China, photos show
A massive graveyard that was used for almost a millennium in eastern China was home to tombs, skeletons and artifacts. That is until a team of archaeologists recently excavated the site, unearthing the hundreds of years of burials that was hidden in the ground.
Forty-three tombs were discovered at the site of the Dongsanlingzi Tombs, according to a Jan. 18 news release from the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The burials and their contents span four dynasties, from the start of the Song Dynasty in 960 until the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1912.
The grave site was discovered in 2021 during construction, the institute said. Since then, archaeologists have worked to excavate the tombs, and now they’re using their findings to better understand the funeral and burial customs in ancient China.
Of the tombs found, 11 came from the Song Dynasty, according to archaeologists. The uncovered Song tombs were mostly brick chambers containing a passage, door, corridor and chamber. They also had gates, some of which were painted with flowers and plants.
Skeletons found in the Song tombs were well-preserved and some had broken limbs, an important discovery for archaeologists.
Experts said this is consistent with limb-breaking practices that were used in Chinese burials. This ritual involves breaking the femur and tibia to bend the legs to the stomach area.
A number of skeletons were also found within the six Yuan Dynasty tombs that were unearthed, the institute said. The Yuan Dynasty followed the Song Dynasty and lasted from 1271 until 1368.
The six brick tombs with dome tops contained some bones, most of which were husbands and wives who were buried together, according to archaeologists. Most of the Yuan tombs had been robbed and were severely damaged.
Similar to the Song Dynasty tombs, the burial sites that date back to the Yuan Dynasty consist of a passage, gate, corridor and chamber, and the gates have unique decorations.
The remaining 26 tombs date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties — five from the Ming Dynasty and 21 from the Qing Dynasty, the institute said.
Ming era tombs, which would have been created between 1368 and 1644, are harder to come by because many were destroyed or disturbed by modern construction, archaeologists said.
Experts said the Qing tombs, which date between 1644 and 1912, have granted greater insight into the time period, exemplifying the thin burials during the dynasty.
Aside from the tomb structures and skeletal remains, burial artifacts were also uncovered at the site.
Among the artifacts were a number of porcelain goods, including bowls, pots, vases and jars. Dozens of copper coins were also found, the institute said.
The Dongsanlingzi Tombs were found in Yantai, which is in the northeastern part of China, about 450 miles southeast of Beijing.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
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