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Rare wooden hearse found in 1,000-year-old tomb

Archaeological work in China. Photo by Xinhua.
Archaeological work in China. Photo by Xinhua.

Archaeologists have found an unusually large hearse buried alongside a tomb in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This discovery sheds light on the unique custom of burying hearses during the Liao Dynasty (916-1125).

This was reported by The Xinhua News Agency.

The wooden carriage was unearthed from a burial pit accompanying an aristocrat's tomb in Kailu County in the city of Tongliao, said the region's institute of cultural relics and archaeology.

The carriage body measures 7 meters long and over 2 meters wide, a relatively rare size, said Ma Hai, curator of Kailu county museum, which participated in the tomb's excavation.

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The pit also saw the discovery of more than 30 vehicle accessories, including gilded bronze bells, bronze tassels and silver plates.

Historians said the carriage was once used as a hearse, which carried the coffin to the tomb before being buried, and its discovery will offer insights into the unique practice of burying a hearse for Khitan patricians that ruled the Liao Dynasty.

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