[CPProt.net] Tomb raiders at Shaanxi Province leave little for archaeologists

[Ellie Bruggeman]

Tomb raiders at Shaanxi Province leave little for archaeologists

SHAANXI PROVINCE : Chinese archaeologists have said a cluster of 
elaborate tombs unearthed in China's northwest Shaanxi Province may be 
the most significant historical find in many years.

Unfortunately, the archaeologists were not the first to find the tombs - 
grave robbers have left very little for historians to work with.


The 22 ancient tombs are all linked by tunnels or they have their own 
funeral pit.

Chinese archaeologists said the tunnels in the tombs suggested the 
cemetery was reserved for high-ranking officials from the Western Zhou 
Dynasty - perhaps even their kings.

The Western Zhou Dynasty had a series of more than 10 kings, but their 
tombs have so far, never been found.

And historical records and documents offer very limited information on 
the history of the Western Zhou Dynasty, which lasted some 300 years.

History experts said this was the breakthrough they had been waiting for 
to unravel the mysteries of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

To protect the site, local authorities have banned any construction for 
10 square kilometres around.

Wang Zhankui, Head of Archaeological Excavation Team and Deputy Director 
of Shaanxi Provincial Archaeology Research Institute, said:
"Such big tombs with four linking tunnels probably means it is a tomb of 
a king.

"Or maybe it could be someone of a slightly lower rank than the king, 
such as "Zhou Gong" (the Premier). This is a significant discovery 
because we have never found a four-tunnel tomb of the Western Zhou 
Dynasty."

Lasting from 1100 BC to 770 BC, the Western Zhou Dynasty was a very 
important period in Chinese history, which laid the foundations for 
China's early political, legal and military systems.

Unfortunately, archaeologists cannot be certain who occupied the tombs 
in this cemetery because they have all been looted.

Wang added: "This is definitely a very sad situation, but there is 
nothing we can do, we are helpless. We can only work with what is left. 
The damage done over the years has been very severe."

Over the past five years, it is believed that more than 100,000 ancient 
burial grounds in China have been looted by tomb raiders. - CNA/de

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