Painted-pottery artifacts with 2,000-year history unearthed in Xinjiang

The Xinjiang Institute of Archeology and Academia Turfanica jointly excavated over 400 pieces of pottery at the Jiayi Tomb in Turpan.

The style of the ceramics unearthed matched with relics from the Yanghai Ancient Tombs, thus linking the two sites together. The Yanghai Ancient Tombs were built around 3,000 years ago, while Jiayi Tombs are between 2,200 and 2,300 years old.

The joint excavation was held from from December 2013 to January 2014, and over 30 archeologists worked at Jiayi Tomb, Turpan city. The archeologists unearthed ceramics, bones, textiles, gold ornaments and more from the 217 burial sites.

According to Wang Long, deputy director of Academia Turfanica's Archeology Institute, most of the ceramics excavated are painted pottery with one handle and multiple round bottoms, similar to ceramics excavated from other tombs of the Subeishi culture. This reflects the civilization's contact with surrounding cultures.

Subeishi culture, once of great vitality, originated from Cheshi in Turpan. Its appearance marked the end of the Old Stone Age and the start of Bronze Age in Xinjiang.

This excavation unearthed the largest number of ceramics in Turpan since an excavation at the Yanghai Tombs in 2003.

The Yanghai Ancient Tombs are located in the Gobi Desert at the southern foot of Flaming Mountain in Tuyugou Township, Shanshan County, Turpan Region.