A total of 156 contiguous tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) have been found at the Sundayuan cultural relic site in Heze of East China's Shandong Province. Photo: Sina Weibo

A total of 156 contiguous tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) have been found at the Sundayuan cultural relic site in Heze of East China's Shandong Province.

The tombs are mainly earth-made pit tombs and brick-made chamber tombs. The earth-made pit tombs are buried with clay figures. Most of the brick-made chamber tombs were owned by couples. 

Along with the Han tombs, six tombs from Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC-256 BC), five ash pits from Shang Dynasty (C.1600 BC-1046 BC) and 27 ash pits from Longshan Culture, a late Neolithic civilization, were also found at the site during the excavation.

The Sundayuan cultural relic site, located in the southwest of the Weilou reservoir in Heze, covers an area of 13,000 square meters. It also covers a wide span of time, from the Bexin Culture about 6,000 to 7,000 years ago and Longshan Culture to the Shang, Eastern Zhou and Han dynasties, Xinhua News agency reported, citing Sun Qirui, executive leader of the archaeological team. 

The relic site was found in April 2020 together with two other cultural sites during the construction of Weilou Reservoir.

Global Times