In the Chinese town of Heap archaeologists have unearthed an ancient cemetery. Burials were built on the Western borders of ancient China, where the metropolis played a major role in trade along the silk road.
Many graves was changed several times its own owners, say the authors of an article in the journal of Chinese Cultural Relics. Briefly about the results of the excavation shall notify Live Science.
Kuchinsky cemetery dated 300 years ad. Excavations in the Heap was conducted from 2007 under the auspices of the Xinjiang Institute of cultural property and archaeology. All scientists found 10 graves, 7 of which are a powerful structures of their brick. Inside the tombs M3 discovered petroglyphs depicting mythological creatures, the so-called Si Xiang (4 signs of the Zodiac).
The tombs were looted in antiquity, did not remain on them, and almost no inscriptions, in consequence, Chinese archaeologists don't know what layer of the society were buried in them. But the analysis of the bones showed that the tomb was used several times: in certain burials found more than 10 "winners".
In the IV century Heap was luxurious city-state on the Western borders of China. The dominant ethnic group of the oasis were uechi - native speakers of Tocharian languages. To China a Lot annexed during the reign of the Tang dynasty (VII century).
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