Xiangbaobao Ancient Tombs

Xiangbaobao Ancient Tombs

The Xiangbaobao Ancient Tombs is a cultural tourism attraction.

Xiangbaobao Ancient Tombs

Xiangbaobao Ancient Tombs The Xiangbaobao Ancient Tombs are situated on a flat area about 2 kilometers north of the autonomous county’s seat and are commonly known as the "Xiangbaobao Tombs." To the east of the site lies the vast Alar Grassland, through which the Tashkurgan River winds its way. Notably, the county's famous natural mineral water—Pamir Mineral Spring—emerges at the foot of the Xiangbaobao Ancient Tombs, hence also called the "Xiangbaobao Spring." According to two investigations by the Archaeological Research Institute of the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, these ancient tombs date back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (5th–4th century BCE), belonging to the Qiang and Saka peoples, and are approximately 2,500 to 4,000 years old.

According to the “Book of Han · Account of the Western Regions,” the earthen burial tombs were vertical pit graves covered with wooden planks, while cremation tombs had no such coverings. The earthen tombs typically contained one or two individuals. Of the 40 excavated tombs, 19 were cremation burials and 21 were earth burials. The funerary objects in cremation tombs included bronze earrings, pottery shards, and iron fragments, along with bird bones. In contrast, the earth burial tombs yielded a richer array of artifacts such as pottery, bronze ware, ironware, gold items, wooden objects, as well as decorations like stone, bone, and agate necklaces. Each tomb contained up to more than ten items, though most held only a few, predominantly ornaments, followed by everyday utensils, with production tools being rare. Among the most valuable ornaments were those engraved with images of Pamir argali sheep heads; the carvings featured simple yet vivid lines, demonstrating high artistic value.

Based on the unearthed artifacts, the earth burial tombs are believed to be remnants of the Saka people, and the cremation tombs of the Qiang people, both exhibiting Caucasian features. This makes the site an excellent destination for archaeological and historical exploration.