Archaeologists in China find 2,800-year old tombs surrounded by 28 chariots and 98 horses

A team of Chinese archaeologists unearthed a set of elaborate tombs surrounded by 28 chariots and 98 horses in the province of Hubei in China in 2015. The incredible discovery dates back 2,800 years and is just one example of a practice used by high-ranking nobles to demonstrate their power and strength.

According to a report in Haaretz, researchers unearthed 30 elite tombs of various sizes in the city of Zaoyang. They date back to what is known as the Summer and Autumn Period in Chinese history (770 – 476 BC), which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty, and was characterized by the creation of powerful states and the birth of a wealthy merchant class.

A map of the tomb distribution. Credit: cssn.cn

Following the discovery of the tombs, researchers stumbled across something entirely unexpected – an enormous chariot pit measure 33-meters (108ft) long and 4-meters (13ft) wide, which contained more than two dozen well-preserved chariots. Many of the wheels had been taken off, and chariot parts were placed carefully alongside them.