Expert Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Era Tomb Number 1 at Shuangdun in Bengbu City, Anhui Province

Expert Commentary By : Li Boqian, Professor and Director of the Peking University Aurora (Zhendan) Centre for the Study of Ancient Civilizations.
Professor Li Boqian highlighted the importance and significance of the excavation of Spring and Autumn Era Tomb Number 1 at Shuangdun in Bengbu City, Anhui Province. This is the first time that research of the Zhongli rulers has been revealed.The discovery of relics highlighting the construction process of tombs and storage pits is unprecedented in Eastern Zhou archaeology. This includes five types of earth mounds and land fills inside the tumulus, circular burial chambers, a white soil layer, radial-shaped features and tombs arranged in a cross type. The excavation has raised a lot of new questions about the cultures of the various nations that existed during the Eastern Zhou period.
The findings show that there are still many gaps in our knowledge of Eastern Zhou archaeology. Very little is known about the cultural differences of the different kingdoms of that era. The Jiang-Huai region was home to numerous small states and cultures. Archaeological research of this era has raised many questions which warrant our attention and has provided valuable information for those conducting research on this time and region.
    Participants went on to discuss bronze lei foundry techniques, the ethnic and cultural origins of the tombs, what the radial-shaped features represent, and which generation of Zhongli Kingdom rulers the tomb's occupant belonged to.
Translated by Kelly McGuire