The content of this article is based on authoritative historical data, and there are citations at the end of the article.
On a hot summer afternoon in 1974, in Dabaotai Village, Fengtai District, on the outskirts of Beijing, several workers dressed in mud were drilling for geology. Suddenly, the drill bit brought something unusual out of the soil - a lot of charcoal and wood residue.
Such a discovery caused a commotion on the calm construction site. Could it be that the appearance of this charcoal is just accidental? Or do they portend some unknown secret buried deep underground?
Prologue to the Discovery: The Strange Discovery of Dabaotai in Beijing in 1974
On June 8, 1974, during a geological drilling in Dabaotai Village, Fengtai District, workers from the Beijing Geological and Topographic Survey inadvertently drilled into a thick layer of charcoal and loose soil under a sand mound. As the rig went deeper, a large amount of wood residue and debris was brought to the surface with the drill bit.
This is a rarity in the usual geological exploration, so it immediately attracted the attention of the workers present. The presence of the charcoal and wood residues made the experienced workers wonder if there might be something unusual hiding underneath.
They know that organic material accumulations like this are often not naturally formed, and that it may be the site of artificial excavations, such as sites such as ancient tombs. Considering the abundance of historical remains in northern China, especially around historical and cultural cities like Beijing, the possibility of ancient tombs is extremely high.
After the discovery, workers stopped further mechanical operations so as not to damage the potential remains. One of their captains immediately used the radio in the field, contacted their immediate superiors and gave a brief report on what had been discovered.
When the superior heard the news, he was both surprised and excited, and he quickly instructed the captain to protect the site and arrange for a professional archaeological team to come and inspect it as soon as possible.
Confirmation and Preparation: Establishment of the Excavation Office
Soon, archaeological experts and officials from the Antiquities Bureau arrived at the site of the discovery. They made initial observations of the site and decided to conduct a more detailed hand-excavated excavation to determine the nature and significance of the discovery. 6.5 meters below the ground of Dabaotai in Beijing, a layer of wooden planks up to 50 centimeters thick was first discovered, and this unusual thickness immediately attracted the attention of experts.
Immediately afterwards, underneath this layer of wood is a 40-centimeter-thick layer of charcoal and a 20-centimeter layer of white plaster, which is extremely rare in naturally occurring geological layers, and is likely to be artificially set up as an anti-corrosion layer or sealing layer. These signs confirm the suspicion of archaeologists that this is likely an ancient tomb that has not yet been discovered.
After this discovery, the Beijing Municipal Department of Cultural Relics acted quickly and set up the "Beijing Dabaotai Tomb Excavation Office", with Huang Zuozhen, then secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, as the director, indicating that the government attaches great importance to the excavation work. At the beginning of the establishment of the office, director Huang Zuozhen immediately convened a preparatory meeting and determined a series of specific preparatory work.
First of all, in order to ensure the smooth progress of the excavation work and the order of the site, Huang Zuozhen coordinated the engineer company of Unit 4561 of the Beijing Garrison to participate in the excavation work. The engineer company, which was tasked with carrying out large-scale earthmoving and reinforcing security measures at the excavation site, greatly increased the efficiency and safety of the excavation work.
At the same time, Huang Zuozhen sent invitations to archaeological research institutions in Guangzhou and Henan through the cultural relics department, asking them to send experienced archaeological experts to Beijing to participate in the excavation of the Dabaotai tomb. These experts not only brought their expertise and experience, but also some advanced archaeological tools and equipment to provide technical support for the excavation work.
In view of the possible excavation of ancient corpses, Huang Zuozhen also coordinated a team of experts from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences to ensure that once ancient corpses are found, they can be scientifically preserved and analyzed immediately. This measure is to maximize the protection of the scientific value of the excavated cultural relics and remains, and to avoid irreversible losses due to improper handling.
In order to fund this large-scale archaeological excavation, Huang Zuozhen applied to the Municipal Planning Commission for an excavation fee of 100,000 yuan. The funds were used for the purchase of various materials needed, such as tools, machinery and equipment, as well as special vehicles for the transport of cultural relics. The timely arrival of these materials ensured that the excavation work could be carried out smoothly, and at the same time, the safety of the staff and the artifacts was also guaranteed.
Finally, in order to document this important archaeological excavation, Huang Zuozhen invited a film crew from the Beijing Film Studio to prepare for the entire excavation process. This not only left precious video materials for future generations, but also increased the public attention of this excavation work and enhanced the society's awareness of cultural relics protection.
Excavation: Unveiling the tomb
The excavation work officially began under the strict supervision and guidance of the Dabaotai Tomb Excavation Office in Beijing. With the roar of excavation machinery and the busy figure of workers, layers of soil are carefully removed. As time progresses, an ancient burial chamber that has been hidden for a long time gradually reveals its true face.
In the process of digging deeper, the archaeological team found a number of obvious burn marks and charred wood. The wood, which was originally the main material used to make up the burial chamber, is now left with black char and twisted forms. In addition, some flat standing timbers have been found, which also bear burnt marks.
This is extremely rare in ancient tombs that have not been damaged by man, so experts deceive that the tomb was ravaged by poachers a long time ago. In the center of the burial chamber, the archaeological team found some unusual evidence: a piece of rope remaining. The rope is partly buried in the earth, and partly wrapped around a piece of half-burnt wood.
Through the observation and analysis of the ropes, archaeological experts speculated that they may have been used by tomb robbers in the process of tomb robbing. They may have dragged the corpse with this rope, trying to find and loot the precious objects that accompanied the burial. This inference was further confirmed, as at one end of the burial chamber, scattered fragments of burial goods, such as broken pottery and remnants of metal objects, were found.
These discoveries confirm that the burial chamber was not only stolen, but also subjected to intentional acts of vandalism, such as burning, most likely to destroy evidence of the robbery. This practice was not uncommon among ancient tomb robbers, who often tried to erase their traces by burning them to prevent being held legally responsible or cursed.
As the excavation progressed, the archaeological team found the remains of the owner's coffin on the other side of the burial chamber. The coffin was also badly damaged by the flames, leaving only part of the wooden frame and charred planks. In the soil near the coffin, experts also carefully excavated small artifacts such as jade ornaments and copper ornaments, which may have been used by the tomb owner during his lifetime.
At the excavation site, every new discovery is documented in detail, and all artifacts are carefully sorted and protected. Archaeologists use brushes and shovels to carry out delicate excavation work to ensure that even the tiniest relics are properly preserved.
The owner of the tomb: Reveal the secret of the Yan King of the Western Han Dynasty
As more details were revealed, experts gradually focused on the study of the identity of the owners of the two tombs. Through a systematic analysis of the burial chamber and the excavated relics, it was determined that the owner of Tomb 1 was a man of about 40 years of age, while the owner of Tomb 2 was a woman of about 25 years of age.
The layout of the two tombs and the nature of the burial goods suggest that they may belong to the same period, and according to the customs of the early Western Han Dynasty, this form of joint burial between men and women was more common in the same grave between husband and wife or intimate people.
In further analysis, experts speculated that the tombs may have belonged to Liu Dan, the eldest son of Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty, or his son Liu Jian, based on the style of the items unearthed in the tombs, such as pottery, bronze ware, and other artifacts.
In particular, some of the bronze ornamental styles and inscriptions unearthed, as well as the techniques of jade carving, show typical characteristics of the middle and late Western Han Dynasty, which are consistent with the known objects from the time of Liu Jian, the king of Yan.
The archaeological team paid particular attention to some special terracotta figurines and inscriptions on bronze objects, which, although slightly blurred due to long burials, were cleaned up and carefully identified by experts showed specific characters and styles consistent with the Liu Jian period.
In addition, some small metal ornaments and symbols on jade artifacts are also highly consistent with similar items excavated from other sites from the same period. Still, this inference faces certain challenges and controversies.
Due to the limited historical records at that time, the detailed description of the life of King Yan and the information of his family members is not comprehensive, which makes the identification of this identity uncertain. In addition, some key artifacts and information may have been lost due to the theft of the tombs, which further complicates identification.
In order to further verify this inference, the archaeological team decided to use modern technology to assist in the analysis. They collected samples of organic matter from the tombs and performed carbon 14 dating to determine the exact age of the tombs.
At the same time, spectral analysis technology is also used to analyze the composition of pottery and metal artifacts in detail, hoping to supplement the traditional archaeological analysis through these scientific methods and provide more scientific basis for judging the identity of the tomb owner.
Excavated cultural relics and academic value
During the excavation of the Dabaotai Tomb, although both tombs were excavated in the early years, a large number of precious cultural relics were still unearthed, totaling more than 400 pieces. These cultural relics cover pottery, bronze, iron, jade, agate, lacquer and silk fabrics, which provide valuable material for the study of the funeral system and material culture of the Western Han Dynasty.
Pottery is the most abundant category of unearthed cultural relics, including various household utensils and terracotta figurines. These pottery objects are exquisitely shaped and intricately decorated, from simple everyday objects to complex ritual vessels, all kinds of pottery reflect the lifestyle and aesthetic taste of Western Han society.
Among them, the paintings and reliefs on some pottery depict agricultural production, hunting scenes, and feasting activities at that time, providing direct visual evidence for the study of folklore in the Western Han Dynasty. The excavations of bronze and iron tools are equally important. Most of these metal objects are everyday utensils, weapons, and ritual items, such as bronze mirrors, iron swords, and various copper coins.
Common inscriptions and ornamentation on bronze objects provide clues to the study of metalworking, technology, and social structures of the time. The appearance of iron tools reflects the progress of metallurgical technology and the wide application of iron tools in military and agriculture during the Western Han Dynasty.
In terms of jade and agate, the excavated ornaments and funerary goods show an extremely high level of craftsmanship. These jade objects are often used for decorative or ceremonial purposes, such as jade pendants, jade bibs, and various small jade carvings. Their shapes and ornaments have high artistic value and symbolic significance, reflecting the ancient people's pursuit of beauty and rituals.
The discovery of lacquerware reveals the lacquer technology of the Western Han Dynasty. Most of these lacquerware are tableware and storage utensils, and the surface is delicately painted with patterns and texts, which not only show the high skill of lacquer art, but also reflect the food culture and aesthetic preferences of the society of the time.
The excavations of silk fabrics are particularly valuable, as they are often susceptible to decay, and their ability to survive to this day proves that the tombs were sealed in very good condition. The patterns and weaving techniques of silk fabrics provide direct materials for the study of textile technology and clothing culture in the Western Han Dynasty.
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Resources:
From Wen Tailor ed. Out-of-print royal tombs[M]. 2009