1,600-year-old tomb unearthed in Baotou

A tomb is discovered on some farmland in Guyang county on May 23. [Photo/Baotou Daily]

A villager in Guyang county in Baotou found an ancient tomb while farming on May 23, and the cultural relics protection departments of Baotou city and Inner Mongolia autonomous region immediately rushed to the site to inspect it. The tomb is believed to date back to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534).

Excavators carry out excavation work on the tomb. [Photo/Baotou Daily]

The Inner Mongolia Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology carried out an operation to excavate the tomb, which has since been backfilled. The two human bones inside were initially determined to belong to two people, one male and one female.

Local media visited the scene to conduct interviews on June 27. Speaking about the exciting discovery, Zhao Guisheng explained how he came upon it.

"My brother and I went to plow the land, and suddenly we found a hole in the ground. We could just about make out the appearance of two human bones. I knew that this must be an ancient tomb, so I didn't move the arch bricks above it," he said.

Zhao said he participated in the excavation of another tomb in the village in 2016, so he had a certain degree of knowledge about how to protect cultural relics.

A copper coin unearthed in the tomb. [Photo/Baotou Daily]

"A wooden bowl and a copper coin were unearthed in the tomb, and one of the people entombed there wore silk fabrics, which covered her face," said Luo Heping, director of the Guyang county heritage conservation center.

"In order to avoid oxidation and other potential damage, excavators coated the two human bones and wooden bowl with menthol and sent them to the Inner Mongolia Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology for professional preservation. They are waiting for the menthol to evaporate naturally within the next two months before further research is done," Luo added.