Vehicles unearthed in Western Han Dynasty cemetary

Vehicles and sacrificed horses were found in a tomb in Nanchang city in East China's Jiangxi province, the first tomb excavated south of the Yangtze River with real vehicles.

Vehicles and sacrificed horses are found in a tomb in Nanchang city in east China's 
Jiangxi Province, the first tomb excavated south of the Yangtze River with 
real vehicles [Credit: Xinhua]

Archaeologists discovered five well-preserved horse-drawn vehicles, each with four sacrificed horses, in the corridor of the main tomb of "Haihunhou" (Marquis of Haihun) dating back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- 25 AD).

The Haihunhou cemetery is located in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi province. It covers some 40,000 square meters with eight tombs and a chariot burial site, with walls that stretch for almost 900 meters.

Vehicles and sacrificed horses are found in a tomb in Nanchang city in east China's 
Jiangxi Province, the first tomb excavated south of the Yangtze River with
 real vehicles [Credit: Xinhua]

Archaeologists suspect that the main tomb is that of Liu He, grandson of Emperor Wu, the greatest ruler of Han Dynasty, one of the most prosperous periods in China's history. Liu was given the title "Haihunhou" (Marquis of Haihun) after he was deposed as emperor after only 27 days, dethroned by the royal clan because of his lack of talent and morals. Haihun is the ancient name of a very small kingdom in the north of Jiangxi.

According to archaeologist Xin Lixiang, vehicles with four horses indicates that the owner of the vehicle was among the highest level of the Han Dynasty. More than 3,000 accessories embellished with gold and silver were found at the same time.