On December 6 over 200 bamboo slips inscribed with ancient
Chinese characters were discovered packed in a silk bag tucked into
the Xiejiaqiao No.1 tomb in Hubei Province. The tomb is over 2,200
years old.
The ancient documents were found nine days after archaeologists
uncovered a 2.46-meter-long coffin wrapped in four tiers of
embroidered silks. Amazingly, the shroud has remained intact
underground after thousands of years.
"Tombs from the Han Dynasty have been found in many places
across the country, but it is rare to find such a well-preserved
one. This will provide valuable historical data for studies in
archaeology, history, zoology, botany and historical textile
science," said Wang Mingqin, head of Jingzhou Museum, at a press
conference on Thursday, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency.
The bamboo slips revealed the identity of the tomb owner. She
was an aristocratic woman named "Hui" who lived during the Han
Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220).
According to the documents, the woman was the mother of four
officials of noble rank. She was buried on November 28, 183BC.
Archaeologists found an intact skeleton inside the coffin. The
coffin itself was decorated with woodcarvings that still remained
discernible after thousands years of humidity and erosion.
About 200 cultural relics were also unearthed in the four coffin
chambers. Items included bronze ware, lacquer work, wood and
pottery, according to a statement by the Xinhua News Agency on
December 6.
Archaeologists opened the coffin on November 29. It was filled
with black liquid and spotted with white maggot shells.
Archeological cleaning procedures are expected to last for more
than two months. Investigations into the bamboo slips and the cause
of death are continuing.
(China.org.cn by Wu Jin, December 7, 2007)
