Sacrificial pits excavated from central China tombs

Archaeologists prepares before the digging at the Yejiashan Graveyard in Suizhou, central China's Hubei Province, July 3, 2013. Archaeologists started a new round of digging at the Yejiashan Graveyard on Wednesday, which was believed to have belonged to lords of the Zeng State during the early Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC). First discovered in 2011, the Yejiashan Graveyard was inscribed among China's Top 10 Archeological Findings that year. More than 700 pieces of crockery, bronze wares, lacquerwares and jade have been excavated from the tombs. (Xinhua/Yang Wenming)

Sacrificial pits for horses and chime bells have been unearthed from a cluster of tombs in central China, providing insight into a dynasty about 3,000 years ago, archaeologists said.

Researchers are still excavating the Yejiashan Graveyard, in Suizhou City in Hubei Province, believed to have belonged to lords of the Zeng State during the early Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC).

Seven sacrificial pits have been found with horse skeletons buried inside, the first time horse pits from that period have been found in the southern part of China, said Li Boqian, an archaeologist at Peking University.

Five bronze chime bells have also been unearthed from a newly discovered tomb, said Huang Fengchun, researcher with the Hubei Provincial Institute of Archaeology. The tomb is believed to be the largest in the dynasty, Huang added.

Archaeologists are still excavating the site to find out the chime's full size, hoping that the bells might offer clues on the origin of the musical instrument, Li said.

First discovered in 2011, the Yejiashan Graveyard was inscribed among China's Top 10 Archeological Findings that year. More than 700 pieces of crockery, bronze wares, lacquerwares and jade have been excavated from the tombs.