tombArchaeologists have unearthed over 70 ancient tombs belonging to noble families in Jintang County of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. Investigations show the region had over 40 tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), over 20 tombs to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and over 10 tombs for the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties.

To date, all unearthed tombs have been excavated with the aim of cultural relic protection. Interspersed at a construction site covering an area of 800 mu (about 53 ha), the tombs were built in brick form or earthen structures.

The majority of tombs built in the Han Dynasty had three or five internal chambers made of brick but many have been looted.

The largest tomb, dating from the Han Dynasty, is about nine meters long and four meters wide, in which a stone coffin was found.

According to archaeologists, the earth around these tombs was pounded and they were surprised to see that tomb bricks were carved with fine patterns of strings of beads, rhombus, dragons and phoenixes.

The experts said the tombs belonged to noble families of the dynasties during a period of 1,000 years, judging from the size of the tombs, building materials and funeral objects.

"It is clear the families enjoyed a high social status because the funeral objects are valuable," said Wang Yi, director of local archaeological research institute.

Besides abundant pottery ware, bronze items and coins, archaeologists also unearthed ten stone figure-shaped sculptures.

"Such stone sculptures were used to decorate tomb chambers and are only seen at the ancient tombs of the nobility," Wang said. These statues are greatly significant in studying the ancient funerary rituals.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2006)