Archaeologists in Northwest China's Shaanxi province recently unveiled the excavation findings of a severely-damaged late Tang Dynasty (618-907) brick chamber mural tomb, which included a collection of richly-detailed, vividly-colored murals.

The murals, differing notably from previously-discovered late Tang Dynasty artworks, are exceptionally rare and hold significant importance for studying the thematic and stylistic transitions in mural art between the Tang and Song (960-1279) dynasties.

The exquisite murals unearthed from the tomb. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

The Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology unearthed the late Tang Dynasty brick chamber mural tomb in the southeastern part of the excavation site during excavations from 2021 to 2022 in Baiyangzhai village, south of the Chanba Ecological Area in Xi'an.

Despite severe damage and the absence of unearthed artifacts, the tomb was considerable in scale, with relatively well-preserved murals in parts of the passageway and tomb chamber which were rich in content, vibrant in color, and contained many characteristics typical of the era, making it a rare find in recent years.

The exquisite murals unearthed from the tomb. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

Archaeologists, lacking a tomb epitaph or other artifacts, could only speculate on the tomb's age and the occupant's identity based on the tomb's structure, mural content, and relationships with neighboring tombs.

"This newly-discovered tomb likely belongs to a high-ranking individual from the late Tang Dynasty. It holds significant importance for studying the layout of Tang dynasty family burial grounds," archaeologists said.