Ancient tombs excavated in capital of Shandong province

JINAN－Archaeologists in East China's Shandong province have excavated 29 ancient tombs, 11 of which date back some 1,800 years to the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).

The tombs, believed to span the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), were discovered in Laiwu district of the provincial capital Jinan, says Li Ming, head of the city's archaeological research institute.

More than 90 cultural relics were unearthed, including pottery jars, bowls, dishes and bronze coins.

Four of the Eastern Han tombs were brick-chambered. More than 10 types of bricks with different decorative patterns and images were found in the tombs.

Clear images of the moon and the Big Dipper were found on some bricks, with images of rabbits and toads visible on the moon. Both these animals are mentioned in the Chinese myth about Chang'e, the goddess of the moon, and her palace.

"These images have proved that the moon palace fable was already popular during the Eastern Han Dynasty," says Li.

The discovery has revealed the historical features of the burial system and burial customs of different periods in the area and enriched the information about burials during the period spanning the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty in the Jinan area, providing valuable new materials for relevant research, Li adds.

Xinhua