An ancient noble tomb containing 600 precious burial items has recently been unearthed in Chongqing, China, revealing an astonishing discovery.
According to Live Science, the Chinese archaeological team stated that among the hundreds of treasures found within the tomb, they uncovered a previously unseen item in ancient burials: an ancient astronomical calendar.
Excavation site of the luxurious ancient tomb in Chongqing, China – (Photo: CHONGQING ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL RELICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE)
Specifically, the strange calendar consists of 23 wooden tablets measuring 2.5×10 cm, inscribed with Chinese characters indicating that it is a Tian Gan Di Zhi calendar, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (1600-1045 BC).
Round holes along the edge of each tablet suggest they were once bound together.
The ancient calendar found among over 600 artifacts in the ancient tomb – (Photo: CHONGQING ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL RELICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE).
While the Tian Gan Di Zhi calendar system is not unfamiliar, the fact that this ancient calendar style has never been seen before means that archaeologists are still uncertain about how it was used by ancient people.
They speculate that one tablet may represent the current year when in use, while the other 22 tablets could potentially be used to determine any year, according to China News.
In addition to the valuable ancient calendar, the tomb located in the Wulong District of Chongqing also contains a variety of other significant artifacts, affirming the noble status of the individual buried there.
The tomb is accompanied by a written list detailing the burial items, along with a note indicating it was established in 193 BC, during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – 9 AD).
Following the Western Han Dynasty was the Eastern Han Dynasty, lasting until 220 AD. Together, these two dynasties marked a golden era in ancient China, during which many traditions were established.
According to archaeologist Wang Meng, a member of the research team from Chongqing, this ancient tomb is the best-preserved wooden chamber tomb ever excavated in Southwest China.
In an interview with Global Times, project leader Huang Wei stated that besides the calendar, the tomb also contained 600 other artifacts ranging from dining utensils, vases, lacquered plates, musical instruments, small statues, pottery, to bronze items. After 2,200 years, these artifacts have become treasures.
