On Dec 10, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology announced the unearthing of nearly 4,000 artifacts from an excavation of 1,240 tombs in Jiali village, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Among the finds is the family tomb of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) imperial consort, concubine Dong. This tomb offers invaluable insights into the reign of the Emperor Xuanzong (685-762) and the political and social dynamics of the era.

Unearthed pottery figurines found in the tomb. [Photo provided by Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology]

Jiali village, located in Chang'an district, sits between the Qinling Mountains. Excavations from January 2022 to April of this year uncovered tombs spanning the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) to late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) periods, along with over 2,000 pits and additional relics, enriching studies of burial customs and regional development.

Archaeologists have identified the Dong family tombs, including Dong Che's ancestral tomb, as dating to 690 AD. Despite severe damage, artifacts such as Tang tri-colored pottery provide key evidence for early Tang ceramic studies.

Stem cups unearthed from the tomb. [Photo provided by Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology]

The tomb of Dong Shaorong, wife of famed Tang minister Zhang Jiuling, offers a new context for his later poetry. Additionally, the burial of Li Xianxian, granddaughter of Prince Wu, confirmed her marriage into the Dong family, cementing the family's status as imperial kin.

The discovery of a rare assemblage of five intricately engraved silver cups further advances research into Tang luxury artifacts, marking a milestone in Chinese archaeology.