North-Wei and Tang Dynasties Tombs at the Northern Outskirts of Wuzhong City

Compiled By
The Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Wuzhong City Administrative Office of Cultural Relics

Abstract:
 In 2005 and 2006 sixteen Northern Wei tombs and one hundred and seven Tang tombs were exhumed at the northern outskirts of Wuzhong City.
 According to the plan, the sixteen Northern Wei tombs fall into four types. Type A (including one tomb) has long ramp, double chambers in square shape arranged from east to west and a pyramidal roof. The chamber of this type looks tall and solemn.
 The three tombs of type B were built in one tomb pit with separate short stair – like ramps; tandem arranged double trapezoid chambers and vault roof. The tomb chambers of this type look small and low, similar to wooden coffins.
 The eleven tombs of type C represent the major category of tombs of Western Wei. The only one tomb of type D was built with bricks in an erect pit. In a shape of wooden coffin, the chamber is much smaller and the structure of the roof remains unknown.
 Less in amount, burial offerings from tombs of Western Wei have pottery, bronze and iron categories. Most of them are grey clay pottery such as jars accompanied with pots and bowl – shaped lamps. Iron items comes second including ax, chisel, prick, coffin nails and loop – shaped coffin handles.
 Most of the sixteen tombs of Northern Wei were distributed in cluster, oriented east and west. They are assumed to be a kind of family cemetery, and some single burial tombs among them could belong to a single family. Probably pertain to Xianbei people, these tombs are dated from the time of the establishment of Baogulv Township to the late period of Northern Wei.
 As for the Tang tombs, they are divided into four types (A – C) on the basis of tomb structure. Type A has a shape of invert character “凸”, the shape of type B is similar to the knife handle, and type C exactly shows a shape of knife handle and type D has a erect earth pit. In additional, there are three tombs whose structures remain unknown.
 The sixty – four tombs of type A have slope or stair – shape short ramps and the latter cover the majority. The tomb chamber of this type is small in size and most of them have brick – built coffin beds and short corridors.
 The two tombs of type B have ramps to the east unparallel to the east wall of the tomb. The bottom of tomb chamber displays a square plan with four upright walls and the coffin bed was found in the western part of the chamber.
 The twenty – seven tombs of type C have short slope ramps on a straight line with the east tomb wall. They have chamber categories of rectangle, rectangle with curved sides, trapezoid and trapezoid with curved sides.
 The ten tombs of type D have small chambers with shapes of rectangle, rectangle with curved sides and square and the rectangle ones take the lead. There is no coffin bed in the chamber.
 The burial offerings from Tang tombs consist of pottery vessels, pottery figures, porcelain items, bronze mirrors, belt decorations, copper coins and hinge, iron scissor and knife, bone comb and decoration, lacquers and so forth. Among them the pottery covers the majority and pagoda – shaped jar is the most popular vessel which was found in nearly half of the tombs going together with two – eared jar and pot and some other items.
 The pots are often found at the four corners of the chamber. In the chambers with a shape of invert character “凹” or that with low platform oriented east and west, pagoda – shaped jar are mostly put to the south west of the chamber. The position of burial goods relates partially to the head – orientation of the tomb occupants. In other words, if the deceased lies to the west the jar would be put to the west of the coffin bed and the deceased lies to the north, the jar the north. Infrequently pagoda – shaped jars are also seen along the tomb ramps.
 Porcelains are less unearthed and only four unbroken ewer, jar and face – painting plate are included. Six bronze mirrors were found in five tombs. The belt decoration from thirty three tombs consists of belt button, belt end, arched adornment and square plaque on the belt. Fifty seven copper coins were found from twenty eight tombs with one to five pieces in each tomb including Kaiyuantongbao, Qianyuanzhongbao, and Wuzhu and so on.
 The deceased lies to south, west or north and mostly to the south, secondly to the west and the north. None of them lies to the east. The postures of occupants of forty nine tombs can be recognized and most of them lie in an extended supine position and others on one side or with their legs bent. Burial furniture such as wooden coffin was not found except one tomb (Tomb No.49). The skeletons remained in each tomb vary in quality from one to five. Among them, joint burial of two persons constitutes a substantial mass then comes the single burial and joint burial three or over persons were seldom seen.
 On the basis of the type of tomb structure and burial offerings, the Tang tombs at the north outskirt of Wuzhong City fall into two phase. The first phase is dated from the early period to the glorious period of Tang Dynasty and the second phase is dated to the middle and late Tang Dynasty. With the help of grave and cemetery data, Baogulv Township of Northern Wei and Linzhou of Tang are deemed to be located around Guchengwan in Wuzhong City.