Archaeology magazine names a Han Dynasty tomb a top discovery of 2023

The excavation has unearthed remains of 41 different rare species, such as a yak, tiger, tortoise, green peacock, red-crowned crane, and snub-nosed monkey.

The animals were found in sacrificial pits dug for Emperor Wen, whose tomb is referred to as "Baling" in historical records, and his mother, Empress Dowager Bo, whose tomb is referred to historically as "Nanling".

The tombs are in the Baqiao district of Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province.