TAIYUAN, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- A rare ancient tomb decorated with poems and murals was found in north China's Shanxi Province, the provincial institute of archaeology announced Monday.
The tomb was excavated in May during an expressway construction in Longbai Village in the city of Jinzhong. Research work on the tomb has just been completed.
Zhao Hui, a staff with the institute, said that with an average height of 3.6 meters and octagonal in shape, the tomb was well preserved. The occupants of the tomb were confirmed as a male and a female based on the skeletons that were found.
Judging from its structure, shape and the unearthed objects, this tomb could date back to the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), Zhao said.
A tomb decorated with engraved poems is a rarity, Zhao said. Its bottom was paved with black bricks, while its arch was painted with red pigment. The surrounding walls with black frames were decorated with poems and murals.
"A total of four poems were inscribed on the surrounding walls with regular script to depict the scenery in late spring," Zhao said, adding that murals of four-legged flower stands and vases painted in red were also found on the walls.
"The identity of the tomb owners or his personal preference may decide the tomb's style of decoration," Zhao said. "On the other hand, it might reflect the traditional tomb decoration in the late Jin Dynasty."
