New discoveries light up Warring States Tombs
- Source: Global Times
- [23:29 April 14 2011]
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New artifacts discovered yesterday at the Warring States Tombs in Liu'an, Anhui Province have again thrust the seminal archaeological find into the spotlight. The newly-unearthed finds, which, among other objects, include a well-preserved sword and a suit of leather-made armor, add to the speculation that the tombs' occupants were a military general and his wife.
The 40-centimeter-long sword particularly wowed archaeologists, who said that the wooden box containing the blade is virtually undamaged even after 2,200 years underground.
"The casting techniques of the Warring States period was well-developed, so much so that many swords we've unearthed from that time are still sharp after thousands of years," said Li Dewen, a researcher at the Anhui Institute of Cultural and Historical Relics and Archaeology.
The armor took several hours for workers to excavate. Though researchers say it could break at any moment due to oxidation, the leather and rope that connects the various pieces only show minor signs of decay.
Based on related finds, Li speculated that the a ministerial-level military officer and his wife were buried in the tombs.
Global Times
