2,000-Year-Old Tombs Discovered in Central China

LINGBAO, CHINA—Xinhua reports that more than 70 ancient tombs were discovered in central China during road construction. Many of the tombs were clustered in family groups, according to researchers from the Sanmenxia Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, who said the tombs’ structural characteristics and the style of the artifacts suggest they date to the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.–A.D. 220). Among the artifacts recovered were ceramic, bronze, and iron objects, as well as the seal of one of the tomb owners. To read about a silk topographic map recovered from the tomb of a Han Dynasty general, go to "Mapping the Past: Han Dynasty Map."