NGO NEWS

A 2,400-year-old pit containing the remains of horses and chariots believed to belong to a member of an ancient royal house has been discovered in China.

The well is part of a group of tombs believed to contain the remains of noble families from the state of Zheng, who ruled the region intermittently between 770 and 221 BC.

Excavations in the surrounding land have already found 18 large pits containing horses and chariots and more than 3,000 tombs.

A 2,400-year-old pit containing the remains of horses and chariots believed to belong to a member of an ancient royal house has been discovered in China. This image shows an investigator examining one of the cars.

THE ZHOU DYNASTY

The Zhou dynasty followed the Shang dynasty and preceded the Qin dynasty and lasted longer than any other in Chinese history.

The Ji royal house’s military control of China lasted from 1046 to 771 BC. C. during a period known as the Western Zhou.

Centralized power declined during the Spring and Autumn (770 to 476 BC) and Warring States (475 to 221 BC) periods.

During these times, the Zhou court had little control over the constituent states that were at war with each other until the Qin state consolidated power and formed the Qin dynasty in 221 BC.

The Zhou dynasty had formally collapsed only 35 years earlier, although at that time the dynasty had only had nominal power.

Archaeologists made the discovery near the city of Xinzheng in central China’s Henan province.

Since February, four carts and the skeletons of more than 90 horses have been unearthed from the pit.

It is the largest of three pits within a group of tombs that have been recently excavated, according to Xinhua, the Chinese state news agency.

Ma Juncai of the provincial institute of archeology and cultural heritage, who led the excavation, told Xinhua: “As the main tomb has been looted and no written records have been found yet, it is difficult to identify the owner of the tomb.”

More than 100 horses are believed to be buried in the pit, where several bronze artifacts have also been discovered.

Experts say these reveal details about the technology and production methods used at the time, as well as the family’s social status and burial practices of the time.

Although it is not yet known exactly who the tomb belonged to, it is believed that three of the carts were for the daily use of a lord of the state of Zheng and his wife.

One of the chariots in particular stood out from the rest because it is larger and more extravagantly decorated, suggesting a more ceremonial function.

It measures about eight feet (2.56 m) long and five and a half feet (1.66 meters) wide.

The well is part of a group of tombs believed to contain the remains of noble families from the state of Zheng, who ruled the region intermittently between 770 and 221 BC. Experts inspect the site.

Excavation of the surrounding land has already found 18 large pits containing horses and chariots and more than 3,000 tombs.

It also had protection from rain and sun and was decorated with bronze and bone artifacts.

It is believed that the horses were 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 before being placed in a pit next to the owner’s grave, and then the dismantled carts were placed on top.

Centralized power, maintained by the Zhoυ dynasty for thousands of years, declined throughout the Spring and Autumn (770 to 476 BC) and Warring States (475 to 221 BC) periods, when the Zheng State took power.

Since February, four carts and the skeletons of 90 horses have been unearthed from the pit. This image shows the remains labeled for later analysis.

The pit is the largest of three within a group of tombs that have been excavated in the region so far.

This is not the first time that burials of this type have been discovered.

In 2011, archaeologists painstakingly discovered remains of nearly 3,000-year-old wooden horses and chariots in a Zhoυ dynasty tomb in Lυoyang, Henan province, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) away.

The pits also contained well-preserved evidence of bronze and pottery items from the early Western Zhoυ dynasty.

More than 100 horses are believed to be buried in the pit, where several bronze artifacts have also been discovered. Here, archaeologists inspect the remains.

Experts say the artifacts and remains (pictured) reveal details about the technology and production methods used at the time, as well as the family’s social status and burial practices of the time.

It is believed that the horses were 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 before being placed in a pit next to the owner’s grave, and dismantled carts would then be placed on top.

Archaeologists made the discovery near the city of Xinzheng in central China’s Henan province.