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3,000-year-old tombs found in China

ZHENGZHOU, China, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Archaeologists in central China have excavated 336 tombs that are more than 3,000 years old, the official news agency Xinhua reported Thursday.

The tombs, discovered near Hebi city in Henan province, are from the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.). This is the first time such a large number of Shang tombs have been excavated in the province.

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Funeral objects were found in 208 tombs, including tomahawks, strings of turquoise stone beads, ancient cooking vessels and basins. The archaeologists discovered a stone coffin formed by 13 stones, which previously had not been seen.

Judging by the few funeral objects, and by the shape and structure of the tombs, archaeologists believed that the tombs belonged to a middle- to lower-class clan.

Zhao Xinping, a research fellow with the Henan Provincial Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Research Institute, said the discovery provides valuable evidence for studying the funeral rituals, social structure and culture of the Shang Dynasty.

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