Royal Cemetery Excavated in China

NANCHANG, CHINA—Chinese archaeologists excavating a royal cemetery in southeastern Jiangxi province have unearthed eight tombs and a chariot burial area set among a network of roads and a drainage system. These tombs have yielded thousands of artifacts, including items made from gold, jade, iron, wood, and bamboo; terracotta figures; musical instruments; and tons of bronze coins. The researchers say that the coffin they will open next, which is in the main mausoleum, may belong to Liu He of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – A.D. 25). Liu is thought to have ruled only briefly before he was deposed, regained power, and then ousted a second time. The other tombs may have been built for his wife and other family members. “There may be a royal seal and jade clothes that will suggest the status and identity of the tomb’s occupant,” lead archaeologist Xin Lixiang of the National Museum told the South China Morning Post. It the tomb does belong to Liu He, it could provide scholars with more information about his tumultuous reign. To read more about archaeology in China, go to "Tomb Raider Chronicles."