A Chinese Duke loved horses so much that he was virtually buried among them!
Duke Jing of Qi’s legendary mausoleum, located in Linzi District of Zibo, Shandong Province, is thought to contain 600 young steeds.
So date, just a part of that equine estimate has been discovered. The excavation of the Duke’s resting site and surrounding features took a long and intermittent time.
These animals were discovered in 1964, and the Duke’s tomb was uncovered in 1976 – more on this later.
What makes people think it’s the Duke’s tomb? A 1986 New York Times article cited stone chimes with inscriptions pointing to the respected inhabitant.
The horses have their own enclosure, which surrounds part of the Duke’s tomb on three sides, according to Ancient Origins in 2019. Initially, 145 horses were discovered in a trench to the north, measuring 215 meters in length.
In following years, another hundred or more would be discovered. According to China Daily, dead horses have been exposed to the east and west.
How does one go about burying hundreds of apple eaters? There was evidently little relaxing about it. The horses were sacrificed for their master, and they were doped with intoxication before being cruelly slaughtered.
According to the China Daily, their skulls were shattered, implying the usage of blunt weapons. The individuals who raised the steeds also met their maker, which is a shocking occurrence to modern eyes.
Following the sacrifice, the horses were carefully separated into two lines. Furthermore, the skeletons appear to be positioned in action stances, “ready to surge into a conflict at any time if the battle drums are pounded,” as China Daily reported.
Horses played an important part in ancient Chinese society, aside from Duke Jing of Qi’s personal passion. They were not only important for agriculture, but they also drew the chariots that boosted military force. According to China Daily, these fabled war machines are a “key benchmark to assess a country’s competitiveness.”
After his death, the Duke was bestowed with this regal title. According to Ancient Origins, his mother was a concubine of the mighty Duke Ling of Qi.
Following the death of half brother Duke Zhuang in 576 BC, the person known as Duke Jing rose to power. He’d been murdered after becoming involved with the wrong person’s wife.
The Duke is said to have governed over a very tranquil time for the region, together with new Prime Minister Yan Ying. However, several people were upset when he named his youngest son, Prince Tu, as his successor. Duke Jing passed away around 490 BC. His chosen one was assassinated in a coup.
It took some searching for such a massive edifice. Archaeologists did not begin exploring the tomb until 1976. The finding was made possible by a simple peasant. According to the Times, he discovered several metal pieces in a field. He evidently mistook the history hounds for treasure seekers upon approaching them.
Originally discovered between 1976 and 1986, the region was excavated until 2003. In 2019, explorations continued.
Experts were “hoping to acquire additional secrets about the burial, history, and magnitude of the army in the pre-Qin dynasty,” according to Ancient Origins. It is unknown how the epidemic has impacted progress.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, “dozens of finely cast iron shovels recovered in the tomb illustrate the highly developed iron-smelting methods of the Qin State in ancient north China.” Thousands of artifacts were discovered during the preliminary studies.