The Western Zhou Dynasty Tumulus Tombs of Fushan

The Western Zhou Dynasty Tumulus Tombs of Fushan

The cluster of Western Zhou Dynasty tumulus tombs at Fushan is distributed within the Fushan Orchard in Diangang Village, located over 20 kilometers southwest of Jurong County. This area features undulating hills, with Fushan being the highest peak. The hill is dotted with numerous ancient burial mounds. According to surveys, there are 32 such mounds in the orchard area alone.

Since the 1970s, multiple archaeological excavations have been carried out at the Fushan tumulus tombs. Among them, the excavation of Mound I by the Zhenjiang Museum in 1974 and the excavation of Mound II by the Nanjing Museum in 1975 are particularly significant.

Mound I measures 24 meters in length from north to south, 23 meters in width from east to west, and stands 2.5 meters above ground level, taking the shape of a dome. A total of 16 tombs were discovered within the mound, most of the skeletal remains having decayed beyond recognition. Only seven human teeth were found in one location, and two fragmented femur bones in another. A total of 358 pottery items were unearthed, including geometric-patterned pottery and proto-porcelain, mostly everyday utensils with a few production tools. The artifacts include li tripods, ding cauldrons, steamers, jugs with loop handles, jars, pots, dou stem cups, boxes, cups, large-mouthed vessels, vessel lids, and spinning whorls. According to the excavation report, this mound was a family burial site of the Jingman people during the mid-Western Zhou period. Mound II is approximately 20 meters long from north to south, 15 meters wide from east to west, and stands 3 meters above the ground. Eight tombs were found here, but no coffins or skeletal remains were discovered. However, 66 burial objects were unearthed, the vast majority of which were pottery and proto-porcelain, with only one bronze item—a bronze dagger-axe—found. Based on the grave goods, this site is believed to be a burial ground for a warrior family during the mid-Western Zhou period.

The Fushan tumulus tombs share the same construction style as burial mounds in other regions, being built by piling earth on flat ground. However, they also possess unique characteristics. For example, some tombs in Mound I were built with natural hemp pebbles as a base, or with a layer of red-fired earth laid beneath the pebbles. Additionally, the tombs in Mound II show no consistent orientation, and most of the burial objects are fragmented or damaged, with no intact items. These findings provide new insights into the historical activities of the slave-owning states of the Western Zhou Dynasty in Jiangsu Province.