‘Rare’ 400-year-old tomb — with well-preserved interior — found in China. Look inside
For centuries, the pale blue doors of an imposing stone tomb remained largely shut. When archaeologists in China finally walked in, they found themselves surrounded by a “rare” and elaborate interior.
Archaeologists excavated the ancient stone tomb in Xinfu District ahead of highway construction, Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology said in a March 6 news release shared via a post on Weibo.
The tomb was about 400 years old, dating to the Ming dynasty, and well-preserved, archaeologists said. The roughly 83-foot-long grave was made up of a sloping passageway, main burial chamber and smaller back chamber.
The 400-year-old tomb was sealed with a stone gatehouse and set of double doors, a photo shows.
Inside the main burial chamber, archaeologists found two wooden coffins. The painted coffins were decorated with gold diamonds, leaves, flowers and other designs. Several pottery jars containing grain, oil or other liquids were also found in the room.
The final back chamber held several pieces of wooden furniture including altars, tables and chairs, the institute said. Most of the furniture was collapsed and broken, photos show.
Archaeologists also found “writing tools such as inkstones, Chinese calligraphy brush pens, and pen holders” in the back chamber, according to an article from the China Daily, a state-controlled news outlet.
Several inscriptions on the coffins and walls helped researchers identify the deceased as a man who lived between 1533 and 1588, the institute said.
Because of the tomb’s high-quality artifacts and preservation, archaeologists described the grave as “rare” and elaborate, the China Daily reported.
Archaeologists have excavated over 60 tombs ahead of the highway construction projects, the institute said.
Xinfu District is in Shanxi Province and about 300 miles southwest of Beijing.
Google Translate and Baidu Translate were used to translate the news release and Weibo post from Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.
This story was originally published March 14, 2024 at 8:16 AM with the headline "‘Rare’ 400-year-old tomb — with well-preserved interior — found in China. Look inside."
