Archaeologists Announce Discovery of Over 30 Tombs Containing a Large Number of Artifacts from Various Dynasties Throughout History
The excavation was conducted in May at a cemetery in the ancient province of Jizhou, which today encompasses the northern lands of the Yellow River, including Hebei Province and the municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin.
Researchers have discovered over 30 ancient tombs of medium and small sizes, including three from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 – 220 AD), ten from the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD), two from the Liao Dynasty (907 – 1125 AD), and the remainder from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 – 1912 AD).
An artifact-filled tomb north of Baimaquan Village, Tianjin. (Photo: CNS)
The three Eastern Han tombs are located close to each other and are suspected to be part of a family burial site. They contain everyday ceramics and model household items, reflecting the lifestyle of the Eastern Han period.
Meanwhile, the ten Tang Dynasty tombs are scattered across various locations and have suffered significant damage. They feature pathways, tomb gates, and burial chambers. Several burial goods have been found in the area, including porcelain bowls, ceramics, and copper coins. The simple structures built with half-black bricks suggest that the owners of these tombs did not hold high status.
Findings from the Liao, Ming, and Qing Dynasties are also severely damaged, with only simple burial goods remaining, such as ceramics, porcelain vases, bowls, and copper coins.
Remnants of ceramics in another ancient tomb in Jizhou. (Photo: China Daily)
According to the Tianjin Cultural Heritage Protection Center, nearly 200 cultural artifacts have been unearthed from this series of ancient tombs. They provide valuable materials for a comprehensive study of tombs in Tianjin from various Chinese dynasties.
The excavation work is still ongoing. Researchers hope to make more new archaeological discoveries in the near future.
