In 1956, when the construction of a zoo began in Guangdong Province, China, no one anticipated that this would lead to a significant archaeological discovery. Over several decades, the archaeological team has uncovered approximately 500 ancient tombs in this area.
Earlier this year, the Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Institute in Guangzhou conducted excavations. To date, 148 ancient tombs from the Han, Tang, Jin, Southern Song, and Ming dynasties have been discovered.
Aerial view of some ancient tombs (Photo: China Central Television).
Alongside these tombs, the team also unearthed nearly 200 artifacts, ranging from exquisite jade items to intricately designed pottery. This provides the public with valuable information about ancient burial customs.
The artifacts and tombs span over 2,100 years of Chinese history, offering researchers a unique opportunity to understand the development of ancient burial practices in the region.
From April to July of this year, the archaeological team from the Guangzhou Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Institute excavated nearly 150 tombs spanning thousands of years in a 1,300 square meter area at a zoo in Guangdong Province.
The oldest tomb dates back to the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). There are 8 tombs from the Jin dynasty (265-589), 15 tombs from the Tang dynasty (618-907), and 121 tombs from the Ming and Qing dynasties, along with 48 additional ancient tombs.
Two particularly notable tombs have drawn the attention of experts. One is a tomb from the Eastern Jin that is elaborately designed. This tomb, over 1,700 years old and nearly 10 meters long, has been remarkably well-preserved.
It features a small hole made by grave robbers, yet it did not cause damage to the interior. This structure is considered the largest and best-preserved tomb from the Eastern Jin found in Guangzhou.
Thousands of years old pottery excavated from ancient tombs (Photo: China Central Television).
The second notable tomb belongs to the Southern Dynasties and is smaller in size, having been discovered by grave robbers, but it is still relatively well-preserved inside.
The discovery of these ancient tombs holds great significance for studying burial customs and funeral practices in Guangzhou.
“Additionally, this discovery plays an important role in researching architectural construction techniques during the Jin and Southern Dynasties,” said Cheng Hao, a researcher from the Guangzhou Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Institute.
Currently, researchers hope that through analysis, they will be able to draw conclusions about the burial methods and customs of China over thousands of years. This will provide the public with a clearer view of how burial trends have changed across various dynasties in China.
According to experts, the excavation of ancient tombs is not limited to academic circles. The Guangzhou Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Institute has developed tours for visitors to experience and learn about the various dynasties.
The archaeological team stated that they will continue their research to understand how burial traditions and the social structures of ancient China evolved.
