A Han Dynasty Burial Ground Near Zhengzhou
During the excavations for the urban modernization of the area, about 100 tombs were found in the village of Changzhuang (常庄), near Zhengzhou (郑州), Henan Province (河南). In the past, at least on two occasions, some tombs had been found in the area: about six months earlier, more than 40 tombs had already been found nearby during separate municipal construction work. The discoveries then brought to light a great number of pottery, bones, and funerary objects.
Part of our China History Archive
Unlike the other findings, the excavations have unearthed some ancient tombs built according to the technique used during the Eastern Han Dynasty (东汉, 25-220 AD). Archaeologists have dated the wider burial complex to a period spanning the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BC) through to the Han Dynasty.
Puzzling Details
The excavation turned up several details that puzzled the archaeologists involved. Some tombs were found completely empty, with no skeleton at all. Among the skeletons that were found, several were incomplete: some were missing the skull, others were missing the upper or lower body. On some of the remains, traces of metal binding were still visible on the legs.
Local Accounts
According to some local inhabitants, the tombs, in reality, would have been “discovered” twice. In fact, in the past, the village elders had warned of the presence of the tombs, but no one had ever actually found them.
Images of ancient tombs found in Zhengzhou
Post Author
