Two tombs believed to belong to the Huan family, along with many valuable artifacts, were discovered during the expansion of a park in Shandong Province, China.
Approximately 1,800 years ago, a family in eastern China constructed three elaborate tombs as final resting places for their members. However, two of these tombs fell victim to looters.
Many ceramics buried with the coffin were found in the tomb.
One tomb had never been discovered before. The other two, after being targeted by treasure hunters, had been forgotten for centuries, allowing them to remain undisturbed through generations, according to the South China Morning Post.
At the end of 2023, while workers were expanding a local park in Shandong Province, they uncovered a partially damaged mound of earth. The two ancient tombs were revealed after excavation.
“Although the tombs had been robbed, their structures remain relatively intact, and we found a large number of valuable cultural relics. Another exciting discovery is that two of the three excavated tombs contain seals and bear the Huan surname. Thus, it can be inferred that the tombs belong to the Huan family,” stated the Archaeology Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Two of the three discovered tombs have seals and bear the Huan surname.
Archaeologists believe that the tombs date back to the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC – 9 AD), and the pristine tomb is “particularly noteworthy” due to its intact structure, allowing scientists to ascertain that it exhibits clear residential characteristics.
The well-preserved tomb features a tomb entrance, passageway, and coffin chamber. Although the coffin is well-preserved, the bones inside have deteriorated over the years.
“The discovery of the exquisitely crafted coffin structure, especially the coffin carriage, provides valuable material for studying burial customs during the Han Dynasty along the southeastern coast of Shandong,” the Archaeology Institute announced.
Artifacts found in the tomb include beautiful ceramics, an iron sword, a bronze mirror, and a variety of wooden objects. Additionally, cups that may have been used for drinking wine were buried in a large box found at the site.
