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A carved steatite pig artifact unearthed in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. [Photo provided by Shaoxing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology]

A major archaeological discovery has been made in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, where a large Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) tomb has been uncovered in the Jiuli site area of Yuecheng district.

As of Aug 15, archaeologists have excavated 62 tombs at the Jiuli archaeological site, located at the foot of Kuaiji Mountain near Fayin Temple in southern Shaoxing. The site is now confirmed to be the largest and most enduring burial ground discovered in the city's southern region to date.

According to Gao Lingyan, the site lead and researcher at the Shaoxing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the tomb cluster includes high-level burials likely belonging to the same family.

The discovery provides important insight into changes in burial customs, social structures, and economic development over Shaoxing's 2,500-year history.