18 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

148 Ancient Tombs Spanning 2,100 Years Unearthed in the Construction Area of the Zoo

An ancient burial site with 148 tombs,  spanning over 2,100 years, has been discovered on the construction site of the Guangzhou Zoo in South China’s Guangdong Province.

The tombs date from the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) to the early years following the founding of the People’s Republic of China, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.

The Yuefu, which collected musical descriptions;  the Shiji, a history penned by Sima Qian, the fu, a poetic form; lacquerwork and woven silk; and scientific breakthroughs like the invention of paper, the use of water clocks and sundials to measure time, and the development of a seismograph are among the many notable accomplishments of the Han dynasty.

The tombs were discovered in the zoo’s construction area between April and July 2024. The Guangzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology led the excavation of approximately 1,300 square meters in this area.

The site includes four Han Dynasty tombs, eight from the Jin and Southern dynasties (265-589), 15 from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and 121 from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). A total of 196 artifacts, including pottery, porcelain, bronze items, jade, and bead ornaments, along with 48 gravestones from the Republic of China (1912-49) period to the early years of the PRC, were unearthed.

Among the most significant discoveries are a nearly intact Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) tomb and a well-preserved Southern Dynasties (420-589) tomb.

Notably, the discovery includes a well-preserved Eastern Jin tomb, which is large and structurally complex. The 10-meter-long tomb chamber shows no significant damage, aside from a robbery hole above the sealing door. It is the largest and best-preserved Eastern Jin tomb discovered in Guangzhou.

Photo: China News Service

The slightly smaller tomb from the Southern Dynasties was identified to be a shared burial place for a married couple. Small holes at the top indicate that it was also looted, but otherwise, the structure is nearly intact.

Cheng Hao, an official with the institute, said that the tombs discovered this time are very densely distributed, and span a period of more than 2,100 years.

“The discovery of these two tombs is of great significance to the study of burial shapes, stages and funeral customs during the Six Dynasties period (222-589) in Guangzhou, as well as to the research on the construction technology during the Jin and Southern dynasties’ architecture,” Cheng said.

There is a pattern to the way the tombs are arranged, especially in the Ming and Qing burial chambers. They are not only oriented and scaled similarly, but they also have a uniform gap between them. This implies that the area was a planned and well-organized cemetery.

These discoveries are crucial for understanding burial practices, architectural techniques, and historical customs in Guangzhou during these periods.

The Guangzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology has engaged the public through educational tours in collaboration with the Guangzhou Zoo, allowing visitors to learn more about the significance of these archaeological activities.

Cover Image: China News Service

Related Articles

A first-of-its-kind Ayyanar stone idol found in Vellore, India

25 June 2022

25 June 2022

An Ayyanar stone idol, the first of its kind in Vellore, was discovered at Thandalai Krishnapuram (TK Puram) in Tamil...

New evidence suggests Indonesia’s Gunung Padang could be world’s oldest known pyramid

21 November 2023

21 November 2023

Gunung Padang, a  colossal megalithic structure nestled in the lush landscapes of West Java, Indonesia, could be the world’s oldest...

Morocco team announces 1.3 million years major Stone Age find

29 July 2021

29 July 2021

A multinational team of archaeologists announced the discovery of North Africa’s oldest Stone Age hand-ax manufacturing site, going back 1.3...

2,500-Year-Old Tombs Uncovered Of Unknown Persons With Gold Tongues in Egypt

6 December 2021

6 December 2021

The remains of two unknown persons with golden tongues were found inside tombs, dating back to the Saite Dynasty (664...

The Error That Caused II.Ramses to Lose the Battle of Kadesh

5 February 2021

5 February 2021

The Battle of Kadesh between the Hittites and Egyptians in Anatolia, the two superpowers of the Bronze Age period, has...

Archaeologists have found a mysterious prehistoric site, believed to be a 6,500-year-old Stone Age cemetery, near the Arctic Circle

4 December 2023

4 December 2023

Archaeologists have found a mysterious prehistoric site believed to be a 6,500-year-old Stone Age cemetery just 50 miles (80 kilometers)...

Temple of Zeus Lepsynos in Turkey regains its glory

9 May 2022

9 May 2022

The temple of Zeus in the ancient city of Euromos in southwestern Turkey regains its original splendor with the revitalization...

3500-year-old ceramic oven discovered in Turkey’s Tepecik Mound

24 August 2021

24 August 2021

A 3,500-year-old ceramic oven was unearthed in Tepecik Mound in the Çine district of Aydın, in western Turkey. Tepecik Höyük,...

In Turkey’s Zerzevan Castle, a badge bearing the US national symbol was discovered

4 October 2021

4 October 2021

Recent investigations have led to the discovery of a badge bearing the pattern of the Great Seal of the United...

‘Astonishingly Preserved’ Ancient Roman Well Found in Cambridgeshire was An Engineering Failure

22 August 2024

22 August 2024

In an excavation at the site of future highway improvements in Cambridgeshire, the team from MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology)...

The sensational second discovery in Croatia: Greek-Illyrian Helmet 2500 years old

16 April 2024

16 April 2024

Archaeologists found a 2500-year-old Greek-Ilyrian helmet during excavations in the Gomila area in the town of Zakotorac on Croatia’s Pelješac...

A 2700-year-old collection of more than 60 bronze and iron objects found in Bükk in northwestern Hungary

2 October 2024

2 October 2024

An excavation project led by a university team specializing in the Bronze and Iron Ages in Bükk in northwestern Hungary,...

The Oldest Semicircular Classroom in the Greek World Unearthed in Sicily

21 April 2025

21 April 2025

In a remarkable archaeological breakthrough in southern Sicily, an international team of researchers has uncovered an extraordinary ancient classroom that...

Hidden Fortune in the Desert: 2,300-Year-Old Silver Coins Linked to Alexander the Great Found in Mleiha, United Arab Emirates

13 September 2025

13 September 2025

Archaeology often surprises us with unexpected finds, but few discoveries capture the imagination like the recent unearthing of a simple...

History of 8,500 years waits for a museum

19 June 2023

19 June 2023

The conservation process of the Yenikapı shipwrecks, which were discovered during the Marmaray project and considered the largest collection of...