The Maomaozhuang Han Tombs Cluster

The Maomaozhuang Han Tombs Cluster

The Maomaozhuang Han Tombs Cluster is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Maomaozhuang Han Tombs Cluster (Fifth Batch of National Heritage Sites)

Era: Eastern Han Dynasty

Location: On the second terrace west of Maomaozhuang Village, Chengguan Town, Lishi District

The tomb cluster covers an area of about 2 square kilometers. In the winter of 1990, the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology scientifically excavated three Han Dynasty stone relief tombs for the first time, unearthing 42 stone reliefs. In the spring of 1993, another three stone relief tombs were cleared, yielding 17 stone reliefs. In the same year, the tomb of Zuo Biao in Maomaozhuang was exposed by flood erosion, which led to the discovery of this tomb cluster. A total of six additional stone reliefs were collected from villagers' building sites.

The stone relief tombs are divided into southern and northern zones. The six excavated Han Dynasty stone relief tombs are all located in the northern zone—four face south, one faces west, and one faces north, all situated relatively close to each other. All are brick-and-stone hybrid structures with long sloping passageways (two of them have a small side chamber near the entrance). Except for one single-chamber tomb excavated in the spring of 1993, the rest are all front-and-back chamber tombs (with larger front chambers also featuring one or two side chambers). The tomb chambers are built with rope-patterned bricks (36×18×6 cm) laid in staggered mortar joints, with interior walls either straight or slightly outwardly arched. Tomb entrances are sealed with staggered brickwork. Passageways all feature parallel arched ceilings, while the front chambers have inward-curving domed ceilings with “four-sided converging” designs. The rear chambers and side chambers also have domed or arched ceilings. The tomb floors are mostly paved with longitudinal herringbone-patterned bricks, though some use staggered horizontal brickwork. Each of the six stone relief tombs includes five door stone reliefs: a lintel stone, two side frame stones, and two door-leaf stones. The content of the door stone reliefs is extremely consistent and simple: the lintel stone depicts a procession of chariots and horsemen, symbolizing the tomb owner’s official rank in life; the side frame stones show the Eastern King Father and Western Queen Mother, as well as gate guards holding shields and brooms; and the door-leaf stones depict a red bird spreading its wings and a taotie mask with a ring in its mouth.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units