24 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A 1,000-year-old burial chariot dating back to the Liao Dynasty, founded by the nomadic Khitan discovered in Inner Mongolia

Archaeologists from the Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have discovered a hearse from the Liao Dynasty (916-1125) founded by the nomadic Khitan in Kailu County, Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia.

The Khitan, or Qidan as they are known in Chinese, were a nomadic people originating in eastern Inner Mongolia. They first appear in records of the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534 CE), where they are described as descending from the Xianbei peoples.

This discovery offers a glimpse into the burial customs of the Khitan nobility. The archaeological find, including a tomb and an accompanying burial chariot pit, was made by the Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region team conducting excavations in a village of Kailu county.

Despite the decay of the wooden shaft of the chariot, several iron components and gilded fittings have been preserved.

“The chariot measures 7 meters in length and 2 meters in width, which is quite rare in scale. This is the first discovery of this kind of Liao tomb excavation in Kailu. The site has not been disturbed by grave robbers, and all the information has been essentially preserved,” said Ma Hai, director of the Kailu County Museum.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



As a ceremonial burial object, the chariot is representative of the funerary customs followed by the Khitan nobility in the Liao Dynasty.

Gilded copper altar. Photo: Xinhua News Agency
Gilded copper altar. Photo: Xinhua News Agency

“We found a wooden shaft, carriage, and, most importantly, gilded bronze bells and tassels within the pit, suggesting the burial was for a noble,” said Qi Rongqing, a faculty member at the Inner Mongolia Normal University.

More than thirty artifacts have been recovered from the burial chariot pit, including gilded bronze bells, copper tassels, iron parts, and silver ornaments.

These tombs were discovered during a survey carried out in Kailu in April 2023 by the Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

“Tomb No. 1, based on its scale, is a medium-sized tomb,” said Qi. “The use of large stones for the tomb roof, extensive mural paintings, and the inclusion of rare materials like gold, silver, agate, turquoise, and obsidian among the burial items, indicate the tomb’s owner held a significant social status.”

Qi said that burial practices among the Khitan people are generally less complex when compared to those in the Central Plains, indicating unique ethnic traits. The Khitan absorbed some aspects of Central Plains culture after the Liao Dynasty was established. One example of this is the use of clay bricks, especially grooved bricks, in construction, which shows how the region’s cultures were integrated and adapted.

Cover Image: Lü Zhimin/Xinhua News Agency

Related Articles

New Study Reveals That the First English Settlers in North America Ate Dogs to Survive

28 May 2024

28 May 2024

The first English settlers to arrive in North America ate indigenous dogs to survive an extreme period of starvation, according...

Young Maya Maize God’s Severed Head found in Palenque

4 June 2022

4 June 2022

Archaeologists from the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), an approximately 1,300-year-old sculpture of the head of the Young...

Glacier archaeologists find a 1300-year-old arrow in melting ice

20 August 2022

20 August 2022

The Glacier archaeologists found a 1300-year-old arrow from the Norwegian Iron Age during a research project on the Langfonne ice...

Roman road network spanning the South West of England identified in new research

7 August 2023

7 August 2023

A Roman road network spanning across Devon and Cornwall has been discovered by the University of Exeter archaeologists. A Roman...

The ruins of a temple dedicated to Goddess Kubaba found for the first time in ancient city of Kastabala, southern Türkiye

17 December 2023

17 December 2023

Ruins of a temple belonging to the goddess Kubaba were found in the Ancient City of Kastabala. The ancient city...

Inscriptions That Could Change the History of Turkish Migration to Anatolia Are Disappearing: Esatlı Kaya Inscriptions

30 March 2025

30 March 2025

Researchers made a significant discovery during field research conducted in 1994 in Esatlı village, Mesudiye, Ordu. They introduced a series...

Mystery of Knaresborough Roman hoard revealed by Newcastle experts

13 January 2024

13 January 2024

Archaeologists at Newcastle University have investigated one of the most unusual late-Roman metalware ever discovered in the British Isles. Although...

Culinary Habits of Ancient Maltese

24 February 2021

24 February 2021

Pottery shards found at the ancient settlement were analyzed for fragments of organic residue and protein. The culinary habits of...

“Operation Heritage” uncovers an artifact smuggling ring in Turkey

1 June 2022

1 June 2022

Turkish security forces searched locations in 38 regions on Tuesday in one of the largest operations against artifact smugglers, with...

Researchers may have found the wreck of British explorer James Cook’s Endeavour

3 February 2022

3 February 2022

The wreck of Captain James Cook’s famed vessel the Endeavour has been found off the coast of the U.S. state...

Mystery ax discovered off the coast of Arendal of Norway

26 July 2021

26 July 2021

Researchers have discovered a find that could be a first for Norwegian archeology. A hollow ax, which researchers believe dates...

Roman-era Pottery Workshop discovered in Alexandria

29 April 2022

29 April 2022

The Egyptian archaeological mission discovered a Roman-era pottery workshop at the site of Tibet Mutawah, west of Alexandria. The researchers...

Archaeologists find sunken ancient Egyptian warship under Abu Qir Bay

26 July 2021

26 July 2021

According to a press release by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Egyptian French archaeological mission of the...

‘Roman numerals’ discovered on Stone of Destiny ahead of King Charles III coronation

8 April 2023

8 April 2023

New research has revealed previously unrecorded markings that appear to be Roman numerals on the Stone of Destiny, considered one...

Archaeologists Find the Missing Link of the Alphabet

15 April 2021

15 April 2021

Researchers believe that Tel Lachish pottery is the oldest of its kind found in the region, and could explain how...