On February 19, the "Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Archaeology Forum: 2024 New Discoveries in Chinese Archaeology" was held in Beijing, announcing the list of "2024 New Discoveries in Chinese Archaeology." The "Wuwangdun Tomb No. 1 from the Late Warring States Period in Huainan" made the list, marking the first time Anhui archaeology has been honored in this selection.

The Wuwangdun site is located in Xuwa Village, Sanhe Town, Huainan High-tech Zone. From 2020 to December 2024, the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, in collaboration with several other organizations, conducted excavations at Tomb No. 1, revealing a well-preserved structure with nine chambers and multiple coffins. Over 10,000 artifacts were unearthed. This is the largest, highest-ranking, and most complex large-scale high-status tomb of the Chu state excavated scientifically to date. It holds significant academic value for studying the historical evolution of the Zhou, Chu, Qin, and Han dynasties, particularly regarding the formation of the centralized power system during the Qin and Han periods and the shaping of a unified national culture. Based on the scale of the tomb, the structure of the coffins, the styles and combinations of the unearthed artifacts, ancient text materials, preliminary identification of human bones, and historical documents, it has been determined that the tomb owner was King Kaolie of the Chu state from the late Warring States period.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Archaeology Forum was founded in 2002, sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and organized by the Institute of Archaeology and Archaeology Magazine of CASS. The annual archaeological discoveries announced at the forum are commonly referred to in academic circles as the "Six Major Archaeological Discoveries in China."

Source: Anhui Daily