Rare horse and chariot pit found in Shaanxi grave

(ECNS) - Archaeologists have unearthed a well preserved horse and chariot pit during an rescue excavation after robbers ransacked a grave in Yichuan county, Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

The grave, belonging to the period around the Western Zhou (1050-771BC) and Eastern Zhou (770-256BC) Dynasties, is located at Chongpingyuan, an area once populated by nomads and semi-nomads which historically saw the convergence of different cultures.

Researchers from the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology have excavated 23 tombs since the robbery.

Their most important find is the remains of chariots and horse bones in a 1.5-meter-deep pit, where archaeologists say two chariots and four horses were buried.

The relics show that the horses'heads would have been well protected by bronze armor, providing valuable insight into the study of protective equipment on horses.

The chariots in the pit are well decorated, with dragon shapes carved into the surface and jade chips inlaid in some places.