(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-29 11:47

JINGZHOU - Chinese archaeologists will soon start excavations at the horse-and-chariot chamber of a tomb dating back 2,300 to 2,400 years, more than 100 years older than the tomb containing the terracotta army.

"Excavation will start on the 131-square meter horse-chariot sector of the Xiongjiazhong Tomb before February 2008," said Yan Pin, director of the Archaeology Bureau of Jingzhou, central China's Hubei Province, where the tomb is.

The tomb is the largest and best preserved yet found in China from the State of Chu in the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). The excavation was formally launched in August 2006 after three comprehensive surveys of the tomb made since 1979.

"We have found more than 30 horse-and-chariot pits arrayed in a row in the tomb. It is the largest of such finds from the Warring States Period," said Yan.

The excavation has been progressing scoop by scoop, but the work has been assisted with state-of-the-art mapping and computerized technology.

Archaeologists do not yet know the occupant of the tomb, which covers an area of 60,000 square meters. They surmise that the master of the tomb was a Chu noble, since a large amount of treasures, particularly jade items, have been unearthed from the tomb's burial sector.

Over 1,300 jade items from the tomb were put on show in Jingzhou in September, the largest exhibition of jade articles in China.

"The burial is large in scale and well arranged. We have found 92 graves that might be people buried with the dead, which was a burial custom of the State of Chu - showing a dedication to the master even after death," said Yan.

Many scholars suspected that the master of the tomb was one of the kings in the State of Chu. In all, 11 kings ruled Chu successively.

"The great probability is that the tomb is of King Zhao of Chu, named Xiong Zhen, who was the last king of the state," said Xu Wenwu, a professor with the Changjiang University.

The king's name is also linked with the name of the tomb, Xiongjiazhong, which literally means the tomb of a family surnamed Xiong. But professor Xu said that his deduction needs to be supported by findings from the tomb.

According to sources with the Jingzhou city government, the tomb is expected to be turned into a museum, like that of the tomb of the terracotta warriors in the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shihuang in Shaanxi.