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Edited/History of Ming Yu
Two ancient tombs were unearthed in Lu'an, Anhui Province, one intact, and the skull of the owner of the tomb in the other tomb was missing.
The tomb was not stolen, where did the missing skull go?
Discover the tombs
In April 2011, in Lu'an City, Anhui Province, a construction site was under construction because ancient tombs had appeared not far from this place, and the construction personnel noticed that the soil color was abnormal, and they rushed to notify the cultural relics department.
After receiving the call, the cultural relics department quickly rushed to the scene to test the construction site.
Through the detection, it was found that two areas of the five-flower soil appeared, and the experts further surveyed the boundary of the five-flower soil and carried out excavation work.
It was soon discovered that there were two tombs here.
Lu'an Tomb
After preliminary exploration, one of the two tombs is about 7 meters long and about 5 meters wide, and the other is about 9 meters long and about 6 meters wide. The two tombs are separated by only ten meters.
What age do these two tombs come from? Who is the owner of the tomb? With such a close distance, did the two tomb owners have any connection?
To uncover the answers to these mysteries, experts excavated the two tombs.
Number of two tombs
Experts numbered the two tombs, the small one M566 and the larger one M585
Open the burial chamber
After cleaning up the soil of the tombs, the experts found that both tombs had huge coffin covers.
Well-preserved tombs
After seeing these two huge rafters, the experts present were excited because both of them were intact. It is certain that neither tomb was disturbed by stolen tomb thieves.
Experts first cleaned up tomb M566. Opening the lid, the expert found that there was a circle around the coffin, and when the lid of the coffin was opened, the expert found a large number of well-preserved funerary items.
After the experts sorted out the funerary items, they opened the outermost rafter cover.
It was found that there was also a layer of coffin inside the coffin. Experts from this performance have determined that the tomb is of a very high rank.
Out of consideration for the protection of cultural relics, experts decided to open the inner coffin in the previous indoor laboratory.
After the experts sent the coffin to the laboratory, they opened the coffin and found that the inner coffin had three layers and was well sealed.
Open the coffin
Opening the lid of the coffin on the last floor, I found that there was a lot of water flowing out of the coffin.
Archaeologists slowly pumped out the water in the coffin, and after the water level dropped by 20 centimeters, they found that there was a layer of brownish red, silt-like things in the coffin.
These silt-like things were examined as remnants of the decaying clothes worn by the owner of the tomb and the textiles covered on his body. After cleaning up the water and rot in the coffin, the experts saw a complete pair of human bones.
Unearthed hairpins
At the head of the skeleton, there is also a bun, the hair is dark and shiny, and the shape of the bun is clearly visible. Above the bun, there is also a bone hairpin inserted.
Beneath the tomb owner's remains, there are more than a dozen pieces of exquisitely shaped jade with exquisite patterns on them.
After tomb M566 was cleaned up, experts began cleaning up tomb M585.
The coffin of the M585
Like the M566 tomb, it is also a circle of outer rafters, the same three layers of rafters. The same coffin is sent to the laboratory for coffin opening.
But after the opening of the coffin this time, the scene inside the coffin surprised the experts at the scene.
Because the experts carefully and carefully cleaned the contents of the coffin several times, they did not find the skull of the tomb owner. Except for the bones, there is not a single piece of funerary belongings in the entire coffin.
Experts compared to the M566 tomb, the two tombs are only 10 meters apart, and the underground environment is basically the same. It is impossible for one corpse to have a corroded skull and another to be well preserved.
Since the tomb owner's skull was not decayed, where did his skull go?
Look for tomb age
To figure this out, experts began testing the unearthed funerary items. I want to find out the age of the tomb and the identity information of the owner of the tomb.
Unearthed bronze mirror
Four copper mirrors have been unearthed from the two tombs, and the texture on the back of the copper mirror is clear and well-made.
From the perspective of form and system, they all belong to the Mountain Character Mirror of the Warring States Period. There is also a diamond mirror from the middle and late Warring States period.
Unearthed bronze baths
In tomb M585, experts found a bronze bath with three legs on a flat bottom and a pair of half-eared ears wearing copper rings on the shoulders.
The top cover bulges and the edges are diagonally closed. The entire bath is decorated with ornaments.
Ornamentation on bronze baths
Experts rub the ornaments on the body of this bath, and some of the ornaments printed are like birds and some are like dragons; with feathers and cloud thunder patterns as a background, the shape is quite exquisite.
Through observation, experts found that the abdomen, inner and outer walls of this bath have repair marks, and there are many places of wear.
Experts speculate that this was long-term use by the owner of the tomb.
Unearthed bronze pot
Through these bronze experts, it is speculated that these two ancient tombs belong to the Warring States period.
Through consulting historical materials, experts found that in 622 BC, the area of Lu'an belonged to the Chu state.
In the late Warring States period, the capital of the Chu State was moved to Shouchun, about a hundred kilometers away from Lu'an.
Experts speculate that these two tombs belong to the Chu tombs of the middle and late Warring States period.
Because the structure of the burial chambers of these two tombs and the shape and system characteristics of the burial utensils are very similar to the hinterland of the prosperous period of the Chu State, they have obvious cultural characteristics of the Chu State.
Find the identity of the tomb owner
Finding the age when the owner of the tomb lived, experts began to study the identity of the owner of the tomb.
Experts found ten tao dings in the tomb, but in the Spring and Autumn And Warring States period, dings were an important symbol to distinguish the rank of nobility.
Zhou Li stipulated that the Nine Dings of the Heavenly Son, the Seven Dings of the Princes, the Five Dings of the Doctors, and the Three Dings of the Scholars.
These tao dings do not correspond to these etiquettes at all.
Unearthed Ding
Through careful identification, experts found that these ten dings, not all of them are dings, as well as wine containers, rice containers, washers, cookers and so on. They all come in pairs.
That is to say, these ten Tao Ding appeared in pairs, only 5 Ding. According to the Zhou Li, the owner of the tomb should be an official of the level of a doctor.
Experts conducted skeletal identification of the owners of the two tombs, and through the test, it was found that the owner of the M585 tomb was male, and was about 35 years old when he died, while the owner of the M566 tomb was about 33 years old when the female died.
Experts speculate through the size of the tomb, the distance between the two tombs, and the time of death of the tomb owner, that the two tombs should be a husband and wife burial tomb of a doctor-level husband and wife in the late Warring States Chu state.
Search for the secret of the lost skull of the tomb owner
After the experts figured out the identity of the owner of the tomb, there was still a confusion that lingered in the mind.
That is, why did the owner of tomb M585 not have a skull?
In the inner coffin of his wife, experts found jade and other funerary items, but in the inner coffin of the male tomb owner, in addition to the skeleton of the body part, the funerary goods carried with him were nothing, why is this?
Unearthed bronze gordon
Experts found four bronze ge from the funerary items, but they did not care much about these bronze ge, because during the Warring States period, it was popular among the nobles to accompany the burial.
But experts also found a set of armor with lacquered surfaces in the outer collection of tomb M585.
Although the rope connecting the nail pieces is broken, the nail pieces are pierced.
After careful observation and analysis by experts, it was found that the inner core of this set of armor was cortical. Experts believe that this armor should be the armor worn by military generals at that time.
Unearthed bronze sword
Experts in the outer collection of tomb M585 also found a bronze sword with a complete scabbard.
After careful cleaning, experts found that the sword was 61 centimeters long and about 5 centimeters wide. The sword cabinet is inlaid with turquoise, and the handle of the sword is wrapped with dense twine, which is very exquisitely made.
With bronze swords and scattered armor found in the outer seclusion, experts can determine that the owner of Tomb M585 is a warrior who galloped across the battlefield.
In order to find the secret of the loss of the skull of the tomb owner, archaeologists sent the bones of the owner of tomb M585 to the Human Bone Archaeology Research Laboratory of Zhengzhou University.
Upon careful examination, the experts found five distinct sharp wounds on the remaining vertebrae, which were concentrated in the dorsal part of the atlantoaxial, pivotal and third cervical vertebrae.
Of the five wounds, three are shallow and two are deeper.
Experts concluded based on the scars left on the bones that the skeleton must have died because of the decapitation of the head.
Solving the mystery of the loss of the head of the owner of Tomb M585, experts have ushered in a new puzzle.
Who cut off his head?
Is it your own monarch, or an enemy army?
In order to find the answer to this puzzle, experts conducted a professional examination of the remaining bones of the owner of tomb M585.
The bones of the hand where the injury occurs
After examination, it was found that another fracture mark was found on the right metacarpal bone of the remains.
After careful analysis, experts believe that the scar was that he was still fighting before the temporary, leaving this scar during the battle.
Based on these scars on the bones, experts speculate that the owner of the tomb should be a senior general of the Chu state, who was captured due to injuries during the battle, and was beheaded by the enemy army not long after being captured.
Yum
Experts also deduced from the scars on the bones of the tomb owner that the owner of the tomb was beheaded by a cymbal.
The shape of the executioner is similar to that of an axe, but its blade is wider, crescent-shaped, and more suitable for chopping than an axe.
After beheading the owner of the tomb, the enemy took his head and asked for credit.
Therefore, the owner of tomb M585 has no head when he is buried, only a body.
This should be the secret of the M585 tomb without a head.
After solving the mystery of the death of the owner of the M585 tomb, the experts examined the bones of the owner of the M566 tomb to find the mystery of her death.
Because the bones of the owner of tomb M566 were dark brown when they were removed, experts believe that she should have died of poisoning, and that she was martyred for her husband.
However, after examination, the experts did not find any signs of poisoning in the bones.
Unearthed terracotta figurines
Burial figurines were also found in the outer collection of tomb M585, which were very delicately crafted, and these figurines may have been his soldiers or subordinates.
Through these indications, experts speculate that during the Warring States period, the system of living burial was most likely gone.
An in-depth examination of the remains of the owner of the tomb found that the remains did not contain any fatal wounds.
Experts believe that the possibility of the owner of the tomb being buried for her husband is extremely low, most likely because the news of her husband's death on the battlefield suddenly came.
The feelings of the two were extremely deep, she could not accept the news, the pain was deep, and her heart was broken. It didn't take long for the depression to end.
epilogue
Although no top national treasures have been found in this tomb, the precious cultural relics unearthed in the tomb let us see the splendid civilization of the middle and late Warring States.
The excavation of these two tombs also allows us to see the unwavering love of this couple to death.
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