Archaeology magazine names a Han Dynasty tomb a top discovery of 2023

Archaeology magazine chose to include the remains of more than 400 sacrificed animals in their list of top 10 discoveries of 2023. Among the remains is the first skeleton of a giant panda to be found in a tomb in China. The tomb is part of a mausoleum that belonged to Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).

The magazine is a publication of the Archaeological Institute of America, which has released a top 10 discoveries list annually since 2006.

The excavation has unearthed remains of 41 different rare species, such as a yak, tiger, tortoise, green peacock, red-crowned crane, and snub-nosed monkey.

The animals were found in sacrificial pits dug for Emperor Wen, whose tomb is referred to as "Baling" in historical records, and his mother, Empress Dowager Bo, whose tomb is referred to historically as "Nanling".

The tombs are in the Baqiao district of Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province.