A Chinese archaeological team announced recently they have unearthed a pit of clay figurines sculpted to resemble musicians near Luozhuang Mausoleum, the earliest West Han (BC 206--AD 25) Dynasty royal mausoleum so far unearthed in China.

Experts believe the pit has inestimable value to the research of ancient China's sculpture and music history.

Fang Daoguo, a research fellow of the local Institute of Archaeology said that the pit, located adjacent to the west chamber of the mausoleum, contained a group of musician figurines which were so well preserved that their appearance and posture remained vivid.

A variety of musical instruments, including seven ses (an ancient Chinese musical instrument similar to the zither), five drums of various sizes, and stone chimes were also unearthed earlier this year in a pit around the mausoleum.

Excavation of Luozhuang Mausoleum, covering an area of 20,000 square meters, started in June 1999.

Archaeologists theorized that the mausoleum, dating back to BC 186, was owned by Lu Tai, the king of the West Han Dynasty.

( People's Daily January 07, 2002)