BEIJING -- After more than a year's excavation and research, archaeologists have concluded they have found the tomb belonging to the grandmother of China's first emperor Qin Shihuang, state media said Sunday, according to a report carried by the Middle East Times.

The tomb located near Qin's still-unearthed and mysterious mausoleum in northwest China's Shaanxi province, was probably built on the orders of Qin, Xinhua news agency quoted Zhang Tianen an expert with the Shaanxi Archaeology Institute saying.

Qin's grandmother died when he was 20 and is believed to have had significant influence on politics and the emperor himself, Xinhua said.

Qin was most famous for unifying China from seven warring states in 221 BC, building the Great Wall and standardizing currency and written script. He ruled the State of Qin from 246 BC before ruling a unified China from 221 until his death in 210 BC.

"We are hoping that the excavation of his grandmother's tomb will help unravel the mystery about the first emperor's mausoleum, which still cannot be excavated," Zhang was quoted as saying. "It will also contribute to research into Qin Dynasty burial culture."

China has been surveying the 2,200-year-old Qin mausoleum in Shaanxi's capital Xian for nearly 40 years.

But even as part of the army of Terracotta Warriors Qin ordered to be built has been unearthed, Qin's tomb remains untouched because archaeologists believe modern techniques cannot ensure it will be protected after excavation.

Legends maintain that a huge underground palace was modeled on the emperor's kingdom with rivers flowing with mercury and the ceiling studded with pearls and diamonds representing the stars and sun, Xinhua said.

Qin's grandmother's tomb is the second largest ancient tomb excavated in China. Located under the new campus of the Xian Business College, her tomb is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Qin's mausoleum and covers an area of 17.3 hectares (43 acres), Xinhua said.

Archaeologists unearthed two carriages designed to be driven by six horses, which could only be used by kings and queens in the State of Qin.

The seals of court officials responsible for running errands on behalf of queens, queen mothers and princes, have also been found.

Since the tomb was raided and burned several times, only fragments of Qin coins, grey clay vases and red clay boilers have been unearthed, as well as shards of decorative and ritual jade objects, broken pottery and pieces of bronze, Xinhua said. The inner and outer coffins were also burned.
Archaeologists unearthed two carriages designed to be driven by six horses, which could only be used by kings and queens in the State of Qin.

The seals of court officials responsible for running errands on behalf of queens, queen mothers and princes, have also been found.

Since the tomb was raided and burned several times, only fragments of Qin coins, grey clay vases and red clay boilers have been unearthed, as well as shards of decorative and ritual jade objects, broken pottery and pieces of bronze, Xinhua said. The inner and outer coffins were also burned.