Hejiazhao Mountain Northern Song Tomb

Hejiazhao Mountain Northern Song Tomb

Hejiazhao Mountain Northern Song Tomb

A Northern Song Dynasty tomb. Located on the mid-slope of Hejiazhao Mountain in Hengyang County, it was excavated in 1973. This is a late Northern Song stone outer coffin tomb with well-preserved coffins. In addition to preserving artifacts such as pottery, woodenware, bronze mirrors, and coins, the tomb also yielded a male corpse and a large quantity of silk and hemp textiles. A significant number of typical Clonorchis sinensis eggs were found in the male corpse, providing rare data for the study of the epidemic history of clonorchiasis in China. The silk and hemp textiles were mainly obtained from the deceased’s bedding, quilts, robes, jackets, single garments, skirts, hats, shoes, and belts, and included various types and textures such as linen, plain gauze, patterned gauze, plain damask, silk, and unbleached floral satin. The patterned gauze, damask, and satin featured two sizes of jacquard designs. Small jacquard patterns were composed of geometric motifs such as meander squares, linked balls, diamonds, and wave patterns, while large jacquard patterns included motifs like lions playing with embroidered balls, peonies, lotus pods, longevity peaches, Buddha’s hands, chrysanthemums, and wisteria flowers. Some also included decorative elements such as human figures, cranes, and auspicious characters. These patterns bear a strong resemblance to the decorative styles seen on Song Dynasty architecture, ceramics, and bronze mirrors, making them especially significant for the study of textile technology at the time. The excavation of a large number of Northern Song Dynasty textiles is the first of its kind in Hunan and is also very rare in China.