Chinese archaeologists have unearthed an ancient tomb dating back 1,700 years ago in east China's Jiangxi Province.

The tomb, located at a construction site in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi, can be traced back to the Jin Dynasty (265 AD - 420 AD).

Consisting of three chambers, the tomb is 8.1 meters long and two meters high. Built with carved bricks, the tomb looks very solid. "It was a typical tomb in Jin Dynasty, according to its structure," said Li Guoli, curator of the Nanchang Museum.

Six funeral objects, including celadon porcelain wares and lacquer cases, were excavated from two of the three chambers. The unearthed items would provide valuable clues for the study of the burial customs and life in the area during the Jin Dynasty, said Li.

On March 5, archaeologists unearthed a tomb from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (318 AD - 420 AD) as well as more than 50 celadon porcelain wares and lacquer cases at a railway construction site in Nanchang.

In 1997, six tombs dating back to the Western Jin Dynasty (265 AD - 317 AD) were discovered just 15 meters from the Eastern Jin tomb. One hundred and twenty-four pottery, bronze, gold and silver objects, including two rare relics of state-level value, were excavated from the tombs.

"That so many tombs from the Jin Dynasty are unearthed in Nanchang indicates a booming economy and culture in Nanchang during that period," said Fan Changsheng, director of Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.

Fan urged the Nanchang municipal government should value the importance of the archaeological discovery and protect the tombs.

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)