8 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists unearth 128 ancient urn burial tombs for children in north China

Archaeologists have uncovered urn burial chambers containing the remains of 128 infants among the ruins of an ancient city of the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.- A.D. 220) in north China‘s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to local officials.

According to the regional cultural relics and archaeology research center, these burials with tiled coffins were largely discovered in Liangcheng County, Ulanqab City.

This is the first time that so many tiled coffins have been found in the county. Judging from the characteristics of unearthed coins, tiles, and pottery, they are believed to be tombs dating back to about 2,000 years ago.

A total of 128 tombs, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, have been discovered in Hebei, according to archaeologists. Photo: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao/TANN
A total of 128 tombs, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, have been discovered inUlanqab City, according to archaeologists. Photo: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao/TANN

Wu Cheng, a researcher at Hohhot Museum, said that urn burial had been a rare and special type of burial for deceased children.

The discovery of these graves provides valuable material for studying funeral customs in the area as well as for understanding the funeral system of children in ancient China, Wu said.

A total of 128 tombs, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, have been discovered in Hebei, according to archaeologists. Photo: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao/TANN
A total of 128 tombs, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, have been discovered in Ulanqab City, according to archaeologists. Photo: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao/TANN

The urns were mainly used for the burial of children,  although they were also employed infrequently for adults and were favored because they prevented wild animals from desecrating the bodies. In addition, some researchers believe the shape of the urns is reminiscent of a womb, which was regarded as accelerating the rebirth of the dead.

A local archaeological team started the excavation from May to October in the Daihai area of the region. Archaeologists in China have unearthed 128 tombs with burial urns since May from a single burial site. The urns date back to the period of the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.- A.D. 220), and they have been found in the city of Ulanqab at north China’s Hohhot  Museum.

News.cn

Related Articles

Rare Celtic Helmet Unearthed in Poland, the Oldest Ancient Helmet Ever Uncovered in the Country

9 September 2024

9 September 2024

Archaeologists have discovered a rare Bronze helmet from the 4th century BC, along with 300 Celtic treasures, including axes, spearheads,...

Hannibal’s Italian Ally: 170 Meters of Fortifications and 450 Roman Lead Projectiles Discovered

20 June 2025

20 June 2025

Archaeologists in Ugento, a city in southern Italy that once sided with Hannibal during the Second Punic War, have uncovered...

Research Uncovers the Parthenon’s Spectacular Lighting Effects for Athena in Antiquity

9 May 2025

9 May 2025

A four-year multidisciplinary study led by Oxford University Archaeologist Professor Juan de Lara has shed new light on a millennia-old...

A Roman statue of the sea god Triton discovered near A2, London Road

13 September 2023

13 September 2023

Archaeologists have uncovered a Roman Statue of Triton during excavations in preparation for a housing development in Kent, England. Archaeologists...

Stonehenge could be a solar calendar, according to a new study

2 March 2022

2 March 2022

A new study posits that the Stonehenge circles served as a calendar that tracks the solar year of 365.25 days,...

The Oldest Known Map of Europe, “Saint-Bélec Slab”

6 April 2021

6 April 2021

An ornate Bronze Age stone slab (Saint-Bélec slab) that was excavated in France in 1900 and forgotten about for over...

Ground-penetrating radars reveal hidden passages, described in Leonardo’s drawings

16 January 2025

16 January 2025

As part of a PhD thesis, an innovative technological investigation conducted by the Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with the...

In Medieval burial ground, a rare embroidered Deisis depicting Jesus Christ was discovered

26 February 2023

26 February 2023

Russian archaeologists have uncovered a rare embroidered Deisis depicting Jesus Christ in a medieval burial ground. 46 graves have been...

The free online course from the Colchester Museums and University of Reading Department of Archeology

12 July 2021

12 July 2021

The opportunity to be among the first to examine 2,000-year-old cremated remains from Roman Britain and learn about the origins...

Unique Ancient Bronze Miniature Portrait Of Alexander The Great Found In Ringsted On The Island Of Zealand, Denmark

12 April 2024

12 April 2024

Two amateur archaeologists have made a unique find near Ringsted in the Danish island of Zealand. A sign that one...

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province

12 November 2022

12 November 2022

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull was discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province. In the prehistoric era, Anatolia served as a transitional...

The First Dinosaurs Discovered in Japan From the Late Cretaceous Period

30 April 2021

30 April 2021

Yamatosaurus Izanagii, a new genus, and species of hadrosaur or duck-billed dinosaur have been discovered on one of Japan’s southern...

The World’s Earliest Ground Stone Needles Found in Western Tibetan Plateau

26 June 2024

26 June 2024

In western Tibet, six peculiar stone artifacts were discovered in 2020 by archaeologists excavating close to the shore of Lake...

New Dead Sea Scrolls in The Horror Cave

16 March 2021

16 March 2021

On Tuesday, Israeli archaeologists revealed dozens of recently discovered fragments of Bible text, the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were based...

3,500-Year-Old Tomb of King Thutmose II Discovered: The First Royal Burial Unearthed Since King Tutankhamun

19 February 2025

19 February 2025

Egyptian officials have announced a groundbreaking discovery: the long-lost tomb of King Thutmose II, marking the last of the royal...