463 tombs dating back to 221 B.C. discovered in Hebei Province, north China

CAIRO – 25 July 2022: A total of 463 ancient tombs have been unearthed during a comprehensive archaeological excavation in north China's Hebei Province, local authorities in north China's Hebei Province said.

The Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology said new excavations began in January 2021 at the cemetery in Handan City. The tombs are representative traces of the Zhao culture during the Warring States period (475 BC-221 BC).

Excavations jointly conducted by the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology and the Handan Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Research jointly saw the discovery of more than 2,400 pieces of cultural relics, including weapons, bronze and jade vessels, according to Xinhua.

As the capital of Zhao Kingdom during the Warring States period, Handan has a long history and wonderful cultural heritage. Zhang Peng, supervisor of the joint archaeological team, said the new excavation is the largest archaeological work carried out in Handan in recent years. It laid a foundation for the study of the history, culture, social development and funeral customs of the city, to provide a valuable experience for urban archeology in Handan.