In the ancient history of the mainland, the tombs of emperors have always been full of mystery and temptation, hiding countless treasures and unsolved mysteries. In 1960, a shocking event occurred in the Chinese archaeological community, that is, the accidental discovery of the tomb of Princess Yongtai in the Tang Dynasty.
Even more shocking is the fact that during an excavation that should have been banned, archaeologists accidentally found a skeleton with an axe in the tombway. Who is this skeleton?
Follow in my footsteps and let's explore the secrets of this history buried underground for thousands of years!
Back in 1958, in order to solve the water problem of the people of Qianxian County, the local government decided to build a reservoir. However, the Qianxian area has a long history, not only the location of the Qianling Tomb, the joint tomb of China's first empress Wu Zetian and Tang Gaozong, but also the tombs of many other emperors and nobles. This has undoubtedly brought considerable challenges to the construction of the reservoir.
While conducting a ground survey, a staff member stumbled upon the door of a burial chamber, a discovery that caused an immediate sensation.
It turns out that the burial place of Princess Yongtai of the Tang Dynasty, the granddaughter of the famous Tang Dynasty general Chi Jingde, whose tomb has not been recorded in any historical documents, is of great significance to the archaeological community.
In order to protect these precious cultural heritages, the Antiquities Administration decided to initiate a conservation excavation program.
But the project soon attracted nationwide attention, with localities looking to excavate their own region's imperial tombs in the hope of excavating and reviving their local history and culture.
Excavating the tombs of emperors is not a simple task, and it involves many complex technical and ethical issues. In 1956, when Guo Moruo led a team to excavate the Ming Ding Mausoleum, a large number of precious cultural relics were destroyed due to insufficient preparation, an incident that once brought the archaeological community into notoriety.
Despite strong academic interest and social pressure, the central government decided to err on the side of caution and ultimately rejected Qianxian's application for excavation.
Disappointed, the antiquities management department did not give up, and they decided to look for an alternative. Not far away, they found a relatively intact large funerary tomb for excavation.
Although this tomb is not as large and important as the imperial tomb, it may also contain many unknown historical values.
In 1960, this unknown large burial tomb was officially opened. When the archaeological team was cleaning the tomb road, they accidentally found the skeleton with an axe in hand. The discovery immediately sparked numerous speculations.
The presence and posture of this skeleton are extremely unusual, because according to the customs of the Tang Dynasty, human martyrdom was a very rare occurrence.
Archaeologists have studied the mysterious skeleton in detail. After carbon 14 dating, it was determined that the bones indeed belonged to the Tang Dynasty. But the identity of this man remains a mystery.
Why did he sit alone in the graveyard with an axe in his hand? Does this mean that he had a special identity or mission during his lifetime? These questions have aroused great public and academic interest.
With further excavations, the archaeological team found a wealth of funerary goods in the burial chamber, including gold and silver artifacts, precious silk fabrics, and some unrecognizable artifacts. These discoveries not only provide valuable material for the study of Tang Dynasty funeral customs, but also provide a deeper understanding of Princess Yongtai and her time.
In the midst of heated public discussion, some historians and folklore experts began to speculate that the skeleton may be the tomb keeper of Princess Yongtai's tomb. In ancient times, the tombs of royalty members often had tomb guards to prevent tomb robbery. Their task was to protect the tomb from outside invasions by entering the tomb after the death of its owner and then burying it alive.
What's more, some storytellers and online writers have begun to weave legends about this "hapless tomb robber". They imagined that the man might have been a tomb robber who had the misfortune of being trapped in the tomb during the tomb robbery, and ended up being sealed forever in this way. Although there is no conclusive evidence for this claim, such stories add a bit of mystery and drama to the excavation.
The incident has also sparked a discussion about the preservation of cultural heritage. Many people are beginning to reflect on how we should balance academic research and conservation efforts in dealing with these precious historical legacies, and ensure that these cultural treasures can be properly preserved and used wisely.
Over time, the mysterious skeleton with the axe became a popular tale, and archaeologists and historians continued their research in an attempt to unravel more about the Tang dynasty and its burial customs. This series of discoveries and studies not only enriches our understanding of the history of the Tang Dynasty, but also gives the general public a more intuitive understanding of ancient culture.
From the accidental discovery of an ancient tomb, to the astonishing unearthing of an axe-wielding skeleton, to the extensive discussion among the public and scholars about the preservation of history and cultural heritage, this series of events not only demonstrates China's rich historical and cultural heritage, but also reflects the complex attitudes and conservation consciousness of modern society towards these heritages.