Archaeologists in northern China have uncovered an ancient Tang dynasty tomb (A.D. 618-907) with remarkable murals depicting everyday life, Livescience reported mid-July.
In 2018, during road construction on a hillside near Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province in northern China, archaeologists discovered an ancient tomb. The excavations of this tomb were recently completed, and the findings were reported in June.
The tomb dates back to the Tang dynasty and belonged to a 63-year-old man who passed away in 736, along with his wife, LiveScience cited an article from China’s state news agency Xinhua. This discovery sheds light on the Tang dynasty which ruled much of central and eastern China from CE 618 to 907.
Vivid murals of everyday life
Inside the tomb, archeologists found murals vividly portraying scenes of daily life during the Tang period, including men threshing grain, making noodles, and engaging in other everyday activities. However, one mural includes a “Westerner” figure with blond hair and a beard, likely from Central Asia, according to the report.
The unique mural depicts a blond man, not of Han descent, leading camels. His clothing and features suggest he is a Sogdian from Central Asia, who were known for their role as traders along the Silk Road between Asia and Europe.
The murals in the tomb are well-preserved, LiveScience noted in their report, and mainly show human figures under trees, a theme that dates back to the Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE), with similar murals been found in regions like Xinjiang, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Gansu.