Family tombs of Tang Emperor Xuanzong's concubine and 4,000 artifacts unearthed in Xi'an

2024-12-11 Global Times Editor：Li Yan

Five high-footed engraved silver cups unearthed from the Dong family tomb complex (Photo/CCTV)

Archaeologists have uncovered 1,240 ancient tombs in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, revealing nearly 4,000 artifacts during the past two years. Among the findings are the tombs of the family of Dong Guifei, a concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty (618-907). This discovery offers valuable insights into the social, political, and decision-making influences that characterized the later years of Xuanzong's reign.

From January 2022 to April 2024, archaeologists conducted a rescue excavation at the site, uncovering and clearing 1,240 tombs, 2,295 ash pits, and 134 other features, including trenches and kiln sites, according to a report by the China News Service.

The tombs, located in the Jiali village, span from the early Western Han (206BC-AD25) to the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and provide important materials for the study of regional changes, burial customs, and daily life during these periods.

Among the significant findings are the tombs of Dong Guifei's extended family. Inscriptions were found in a burial made of stone, confirming that the tomb complex was centered around the tomb of Dong Che, presumed to be the patriarch, with at least four generations buried together.

Despite Dong Che's tomb being seriously damaged, it yielded a large amount of Tang tri-colored glazed pottery, which provided valuable information for studying early pottery from the Guanzhong region. Tang tri-colored glazed pottery, is made of white clay and coated with a layer of glaze. The producing technique of the pottery prevailed in the Tang Dynasty.

The tomb of Dong Shaorong, wife of the renowned poet and official Zhang Jiuling in the Tang Dynasty, was also uncovered in the area. The discovery offers a new context for interpreting Zhang's late poetry.

Within the Dong family tomb complex, five high-footed engraved silver cups were also unearthed. This is the first large-scale discovery of high-footed silver cups in Tang Dynasty archaeology, providing rare dated specimens for the study of Tang dynasty high-footed silver cups.