The biggest Warring State Period tomb and its affiliated
funerary pit were discovered in Wenlin, Zhejiang Province, on
November 3, and many precious cultural relics have been excavated
from the tomb.
Archaeologists started to look for the pit after they found the
tomb, as it was a common practice among aristocrats to build
luxurious affiliated funerary pits near their graves, and their
search was not in vain.
The pit is only 3 meters long, 6 meters wide and 1 meter deep,
but as many as 27 pottery musical instruments were squeezed into
it, including a chime, a bell, three Chun Yu (an ancient Chinese
percussion instrument, like chimes), 5 chime stones and three
cymbals similar to bronze ones. The three cymbals are the most
complete among the 27 instruments, and one is in almost perfect
condition.
Great discoveries have been made in the main tomb, too, where
many precious potteries and jade objects have been found. However,
greater news may yet be to come, as the excavation work is far from
completion.
(Chinanews.cn November 17, 2006)
