237 ancient tombs from Warring States Period excavated

A collection of ancient tombs, including 237 from the late Warring States Period (475-221 BC) have recently been excavated in Xianyang, Shaanxi province, with 878 artifacts found, according to Xianyang's Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

The excavation was carried out to support the renovation of a run-down area in the eastern suburb of Xianyang.

A total of 263 tombs were uncovered, ranging from the late Warring States Period to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The majority of the items recovered were practical pottery objects, and copper wares and jade ornaments were also among the discoveries.

In 1995 and 2022, archaeologists had previously excavated 805 tombs in the north of this area, 95 percent of which could be dated back to the late Warring States Period.

Experts analyzing the findings believe that this recent excavation shares similarities with the previous ones. The proximity of these discoveries suggests that this site may have served as a large-scale cemetery for common people during the late Warring States period.