More than a thousand bronzes were unearthed from a monarch-level tomb in the Western Zhou Dynasty in Shanxi

　　China News Service, Taiyuan, January 4th (Reporter Hu Jian) ​​The Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology released the archaeological excavation data of the M2022 tomb in the Western Zhou cemetery in Hengshui, Jiangxian County, Shanxi on the 4th. Due to the attributes of the tomb such as the sacrifice of a dog, it is speculated that the tomb should be a monarch-level tomb in the Western Zhou Dynasty.

M2022 Western Zhou Cemetery in Hengshui, Jiangxian County, Shanxi Province.

Photo courtesy of Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archeology

　　The cemetery of the Western Zhou Dynasty in Hengshui, Jiangxian County, Shanxi was discovered when it was stolen in 2004. From 2004 to 2007, the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archeology (now the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archeology), Yuncheng Cultural Relics Workstation and Jiangxian Cultural Relics Bureau formed a joint archaeological team to rescue sexual excavation.

The cemetery is relatively well preserved. The cemetery is divided into three excavation areas. A total of 1,299 tombs from the Western Zhou Dynasty were excavated, and 33 pits for chariots and horses were found.

Bronze sacrificial vessels were unearthed from M2022 of the Western Zhou cemetery in Hengshui, Jiangxian County, Shanxi Province.

Photo courtesy of Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archeology

　　The tomb that released the archaeological data this time is tomb M2022, which has a larger burial chamber and a larger pit for chariots and horses on the east side.

There are many kinds of burial objects in the tomb, including 1045 pieces (sets) of bronzes and 60 pieces (sets) of jades, including 16 pieces of bronze ceremonies and musical instruments, and the discovery of martyrs and dogs shows that the owner of the tomb has a high social status. status.

Relics unearthed in M2022.

Photo courtesy of Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archeology

　　According to Song Jianzhong, the leader of the archaeological excavation project, six weapons were buried in the tomb, and the gender of the tomb owner is presumed to be male, and there are two records in the M2022 burial bronze inscriptions related to King Zhou.

According to the scale of the tomb, the specifications of the burial objects, and the attributes of the tomb with human and dog sacrifices, it is speculated that M2022 should be a monarch-level tomb.

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