Tomb complex found in Beijing

An archaeological team works at the tomb complex in Daxing district of Beijing.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

Archeologists have unearthed a massive tomb complex in a southwest suburb in Beijing, according to the Beijing Institute of Cultural Heritage on Monday.

They said the complex is a rare discovery given its size, time span and location.

The 70 hectare archeological site consists of 129 tombs built over 1,100 years, spanning from the East Han Dynasty (25-220) to Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Liao (907-1125).

It was first discovered in Sanhezhuang village in Daxing district in 2010, and so far, 75 tombs have been unearthed and cleared up.

Some of these tombs have exquisite murals depicting people and furniture, and artifacts found so far have included pottery, porcelain, lacquer ware, and other funeral paraphernalia.

Archeologists said the complex is of great significance for the study of culture and history of Beijing area.

The site was discovered due to a planned residential complex slated for construction on top of the site.

A 2014 municipal cultural relics protection measure mandates that all plots of land must be screened for relics before development.