1,700-year-old cemetery — with trenches full of tombs — found in China. See it

Moira Ritter
·2 min read
7

Archaeologists in China were completing excavations ahead of construction when they stumbled upon a monumental discovery: an enormous tribal cemetery filled with tombs spanning five dynasties and about 600 years.

Since 2021, archaeologists with the Xi’an Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology have worked to excavate one burial trench in the Beicheng Village Cemetery, according to a Jan. 11 news release from the institute shared by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The trench covered more than 800,000 square feet.

An aerial view of excavations at the Beicheng Village Cemetery.
An aerial view of excavations at the Beicheng Village Cemetery.

The team found 285 tombs within the burial trench from five different dynasties, dating back as early as the beginning of the fourth century, experts said. All of the tombs were neatly arranged in rows and grouped by dynasties.

The earliest tombs are from the Sixteen Kingdoms — a period between about 303 and 439 when northern China was ruled by a series of short-lived non-Chinese dynasties — and included graves with multiple chambers, experts said. Most of the burials were single- or double-upright burials, but at least two held three people or more.

Ancient figurines unearthed from Sixteen Kingdoms burials.
Ancient figurines unearthed from Sixteen Kingdoms burials.

All four rows of the Sixteen Kingdoms included long-sloped burials with caverns, archaeologists said. The burials held pottery figurines, horse riding figurines, ox carts, lamps, stoves and other artifacts.

One of the tombs, identified as M452, was a rare earthen cave tomb, designed with a front and rear chamber, sloped roof and carved pillars, according to officials. Wooden carvings were also found in M452’s chambers.

The rear chamber of M452, a rare earthen cave tomb.
The rear chamber of M452, a rare earthen cave tomb.

More than 100 tombs from the Wei dynasty — which lasted from about 386 to 535 — were also unearthed from the trench.

A panoramic view of a Wei dynasty tomb.
A panoramic view of a Wei dynasty tomb.

Most of the Wei tombs were single chamber cave tombs, but some had irregular side chambers and some had horizontal earthen coffin beds, archaeologists said. Bones in these tombs were arranged messily, indicating that remains may have been moved.

The tombs were mainly single-person or two-person burials, but some held three or more people, experts said. Only a few tombs held grave goods, such as pottery jars and engraved bricks.

One brick chamber tomb, identified as M326, was unearthed from the site, according to officials. The brick chamber has a sealing door, corridor and tomb constructed of brick.

Only one brick tomb, known as M326, was excavated from the trench, officials said.
Only one brick tomb, known as M326, was excavated from the trench, officials said.
A panoramic view of the brick chamber tomb.
A panoramic view of the brick chamber tomb.

Tombs from the Northern Zhou, Sui and Tang dynasties — which existed between 557 and 907 — were also found in the trench.

These burials were placed in an orderly arrangement and included sloping passage chamber tombs and vertical passage chamber tombs, experts said. Human remains were found in the tombs.

Some burials had earth coffin beds holding human remains, archaeologists said.
Some burials had earth coffin beds holding human remains, archaeologists said.

Archaeologists said they found tombs for single burials, double burials and three or more people. Among the few grave goods discovered in these graves, experts found pottery and copper artifacts.

The cemetery was found in Shaanxi, a northwestern province in China.

Google Translate and Baidu Translate were used to translate a news release from the Xi’an Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Huge tomb — filled with treasures — sat untouched for more than 2,100 years. Until now

2,600-year-old temple filled with ‘exotic offerings’ found in Greece. See its treasure

Colorful mummies — some with gold tongues — discovered in unique 1,300-year-old graves