Six major archaeological discoveries in 2015

Xiangyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology find out 27 ancient brick-chambered tombs in Xiangcheng District of Xiangyang, Central China's Hubei province. [Photo/People's Daily Online]

Ancient tombs in Xiangyang

Xiangyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology found 27 brick-chambered tombs of Six Dynasties (222-589), Sui Dynasty (581-618) and Tang Dynasty (618-907) in late November in Xiangcheng District of Xiangyang, Central China's Hubei province.

Over 70 pieces of cultural relics have been unearthed, including bronze wares, silver wares, pottery, porcelain, jade articles, as well as over 10,000 precious dated bricks and portrait bricks.

Among the tombs, an Eastern Jin (317-420) tomb and a Southern Dynasties (420-589) tomb have the highest archaeological significance. The brick coffin chamber of the Eastern Jin tomb is 2.2 meters long, 0.66 meters wide and 0.55 meters high. According to experts, on one side of a tomb brick is engraved "Taiyuan year 21, Han's tomb". "Taiyuan year 21" is the year 396 AD.