Dongyang Tumulus Tomb Cluster

Dongyang Tumulus Tomb Cluster

The Dongyang Tumulus Tomb Cluster is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Dongyang Tumulus Tomb Cluster is located in Jiangbei Subdistrict, Liushi Subdistrict, and Weishan Town in Dongyang City, Jiangsu Province.

Since June 10, 2006, the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, in cooperation with the Dongyang Cultural Relics Office, has been excavating this group of Western Zhou dynasty ancient tombs. Many significant finds have been uncovered in pits No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. By July 23, the excavation and cleaning work of Pit No. 4 had been largely completed, with a total of three human skeletal remains and 105 precious artifacts unearthed, including a three-legged porcelain ding vessel.

There are currently five well-preserved sites within the Dongyang Tumulus Tomb Cluster: Shihuzhuang Shijiao Mountain Chambered Tumulus Tomb, Paiyuan Stone?? Dongshan Chambered Tumulus Tomb, Shizhai Yinjiao Mountain Chambered Tumulus Tomb, Paiyuan Xiamachai Natural Village Qianshan Tumulus Tomb, and Guyuantou Xunjianjian Tumulus Tomb. These tombs are all situated atop small hills, oriented east-west, and are of grand scale. The tomb chambers of Shijiao Mountain, Paiyuan, and Yinjiao Mountain are all constructed from massive stones, mostly in the form of slabs, strips, or squares. Some of these stones are several meters long and weigh several tons, which is rare among chambered tumulus tombs elsewhere. The clearly identified floor plans of the tomb chambers include three types: “concave,” “convex,” and rectangular. The Qianshan Tumulus Tomb was excavated in 2003 in conjunction with the construction of the Yongjin Expressway. It is a rectangular shallow earthen pit wooden-chamber tomb, but its passageway section is built from stone blocks to resemble a stone chamber, giving it a rather unique structural design. The burial objects found in the tomb are also quite distinctive — unlike the typical everyday items such as stamped hard pottery and proto-porcelain commonly seen in Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn period tumulus tombs, this tomb contained only jade artifacts. Aside from one jade cup and a jade bead, the rest were numerous tiny ornaments such as tubes, beads, strips, and flakes, making it a very rare find. After excavation, the site was preserved in situ. The Xunjianjian Tumulus Tomb is of large scale, sealed with clay mortar, and is well-preserved, possibly representing a typical chambered tumulus tomb.

The Dongyang Tumulus Tomb Cluster is not only remarkable in scale but also features several different types of tomb structure. It includes both typical tumulus tombs and chambered tumulus tombs, as well as transitional forms between various tomb types, making it an invaluable example of the development and evolution of tomb structures during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

In 2006, the Dongyang Tumulus Tomb Cluster, as an ancient tomb from the Zhou dynasty, was included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units