Over 2,000-year-old trench-enclosed tombs discovered in Inner Mongolia

HOHHOT, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese archaeologists have discovered a large group of ancient trench-enclosed tombs dating back to the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, local authorities said.

During the excavation work at the ruins of the tomb cluster in Helinger County of Inner Mongolia, a total of 64 tombs and one ash pit were unearthed. Additionally, over 100 pieces of cultural relics including pottery, bronze, iron, jade, stone, agate and pendants were discovered, according to the Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

Archaeologists found 20 tombs that had trenches dug around them, as well as 13 trenches with depths ranging from 25 cm to 40 cm.

According to the shape of the tombs and the excavated funerary objects, the tombs date back 2300 to 2200 years, which was the late Warring States Period, said Wang Zepeng, an archaeologist at the institute.

The discovery indicates that the area where the tomb complex is located was designed as a burial ground by the people of the Warring States Period, Wang added.