Ancient tombs found in Northeast China

SHENYANG -- A cluster of ancient tombs dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) has been discovered in Linghai city in Northeast China's Liaoning province, according to archaeologists.

The excavation was launched by the Liaoning provincial institute of cultural relics and archaeology in March. Su Junqiang, a researcher with the institute, said that the eight tombs are of brick-chamber structure.

Over a hundred pieces of burial objects, including pots, urns, plates and models of cooking stoves and well have been unearthed. In one of the tombs archaeologists found a coffin with a human skeleton inside, Su said.

The structure of the tombs and their burial objects are distinctive features of artifacts from the Eastern Han Dynasty, Su added.

These new discoveries and some previous archaeological findings suggest that the area of today's Linghai was under the effective jurisdiction of the Eastern Han Dynasty, which had its capital located in the central plains of China, Su said.

A kiln site dating back to the Liao and Jin dynasties (907-1234) was also excavated this time.