Photo: www.cnwest.com
A tomb built over 1,700 years ago was excavated on Monday in the ancient capital of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, according to a report from the Xi'an Evening News on Tuesday.
The tomb, discovered in the eastern suburb of the city, belongs to the Sixteen States rulers, (304-439), who governed northern China during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. It contains over 40 pieces of cultural relics, most of which have remained intact. The painted pottery figure of the Guard of Honor is a rare find, as is the team of black and white armored warriors, the report said.
"The tomb's owner is unidentified, but might have belonged to an official, judging from the scale of the unearthed relics," Guo Yongqi, a researcher from Xi'an Heritage Institute of Archaeology, said.
"There are only a few tombs belonging to the Sixteen States rulers in Xi'an as well as in the whole country, as their reign was short and turbulent. The tomb can help experts study this period in more depth," Guo added.