Archaeologists in east China’s Anhui Province have made a remarkable discovery at the Wuwangdun tomb site dating back over 2,200 years. Stacks of leaves with clearly visible veins were unearthed from a tomb belonging to the ancient Chu State, shedding new light on preservation methods of the time.
The Wuwangdun site, located in the historic city of Huainan, is the largest and most structurally complex tomb from the ancient Chu State ever found. The National Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Tuesday that this tomb provides invaluable insights into the region’s rich history.
In the tomb chamber designated as “East I,” archaeologists retrieved artifacts floating on the water’s surface. Upon laboratory examination, they uncovered stacks of leaves that had accumulated over centuries.
“The leaves are mostly piled together. Although there isn’t much mud, the current preservation condition is not very ideal. They show signs of significant decay, but some leaf veins are still noticeable. We may need to work with archaeologists to carefully peel them apart layer by layer,” said Zhang Zhiguo, a researcher at the National Center for Archaeology and leader of the Wuwangdun excavation project.
Due to their fragile condition, the leaves are being closely monitored for moisture and integrity. “After extraction, we will conduct identification and quantitative analysis, including determining the number of leaves in Chamber East I and the quantity of leaf cores,” Zhang added.
Archaeologists speculate that these leaves may be related to fruits found in the same chamber, potentially offering clues about dietary practices and burial customs during the Chu State era.
The discovery has sparked interest among historians and researchers worldwide. The preservation of organic material such as leaves over millennia is rare and could provide unprecedented information about the ecology, agriculture, and cultural practices of ancient China.
The ongoing excavation at Wuwangdun continues to reveal artifacts that contribute to our understanding of the ancient Chu State, a significant cultural and political power during the Zhou Dynasty period.
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Preserved leaves found in 2,200-year-old Chu State tomb in east China
cgtn.com
