Tomb rekindles Chu history

The site of Wuwangdun sits by Shungeng Mountain, now a national forest park, to the north, opens to an expansive field to the south and is adjacent to a lake to the west.

On-site work unveiled the face of Wuwangdun Tomb No 1 — a vertical earth-pit, chambered-coffin tomb that covers about 12,000 square meters, and inside there are 21 stairs leading to the chambers.

The layered structure — a central main chamber surrounded by eight sub-chambers in four directions — suggested the occupant was a senior member of Chu's ruling house.

The diversity and richness of grave goods reinforced that conclusion.

Archaeologists uncovered ceremonial stone and jade objects, metal fittings for horses, wooden coffin boards inscribed with hundreds of ink characters, and tortoise shells used for divination.

Among the most striking discoveries were massive bronze vessels that clarified the tomb's royal identity.