45 Shaanxi graves may reveal real Terracotta Warriors  

秦陵東部發(fā)現(xiàn)45座秦墓 墓主疑為兵馬俑制造者(圖)

記者從陜西省考古研究院了解到，在配合關(guān)中環(huán)線天然氣管線調(diào)峰工程中，考古工作者在西安臨潼區(qū)馬額街道辦事處冢王村西南清理發(fā)掘了一處古墓葬群，墓主人或許就是當(dāng)年修建兵馬俑的工作人員。在陪葬器物中，出現(xiàn)了“麗”字陶文。專家認(rèn)為，這說明墓主人應(yīng)當(dāng)和麗邑有關(guān)，相當(dāng)于現(xiàn)代的“工程指揮部”。[查看全文]

The 45 graves excavated last year in Shaanxi Province are assumed to be the tombs of the handicraft men who once created the world-acclaimed Terracotta Warriors discovered near the mausoleum of China's first Emperor Qin Shihuang (260-210 B.C.) in the province's suburbs.

Five kilometers east to the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, the 45 graves are filled with the evidence of curled legs, a unique pose of those deceased buried during the Qin Dynasty.

In spite of the comparatively low social statuses demonstrated by the small scale and meager decoration of the graves, the potteries discovered there are inscribed with the Chinese character "li" (麗), which indicated that the owners of the tombs hailed from Liyi Town, a place used to accommodate numerous craftsmen and construction workers who were designated to build the mausoleum of Emperor Qin.

Although the identities of the tomb owners still needs to be confirmed, Sun Weigang, deputy researcher with the Shaanxi Province Archaeological Research Institute, said the character "li" is an important factor in solving the graves' mystery.

According to the "Shi Ji" or "Records of the Grand Historian," Liyi Town was built in 231 B.C., right near the mausoleum, with some 30,000 families moving in.