Ancient Chinese Tomb Reveals Mysterious Wooden Artifacts Uncovering Secrets of 2,000-Year-Old Astronomical Calendar

In China, archaeologists uncovered rectangular wooden pieces associated with an ancient astronomical calendar in a remarkably preserved 2,000-year-old tomb in the southwest.

Recently found in Chongqing Municipality, these ancient Chinese wooden slips, or mudu, bear characters related to the ancient Chinese astronomical calendar, representing a groundbreaking discovery of celestial knowledge.

Chinese Artifacts Discovered in Ancient Tomb Marks 'Golden Age' Insights

Archaeologists in China have unearthed a collection of 23 rectangular wooden slips, each measuring about an inch in width and 4 inches in length, featuring Chinese characters associated with the Tiangan Dizhi, an ancient astronomical calendar established during the Shang dynasty (1600 B.C. to 1045 B.C.).

These artifacts were discovered in a remarkably preserved 2,000-year-old tomb in the Wulong district, approximately 870 miles southwest of Beijing. Experts speculate that one slip represented the current year, while the other 22 could specify various years in the ancient calendar, given circular perforations at the edges suggesting they were once tied together.

The purpose and functionality of this calendrical set remain unclear, as circular perforations at the slips' edges indicate they were possibly bound together. This discovery marks the first instance of finding such objects in an ancient tomb, although the practice of inscribing characters on wood or bamboo strips was common in pre-paper China.

The tomb, dating back to 193 B.C. during the Western Han dynasty, represents a well-preserved wooden chamber tomb, described by archaeologist Wang Meng as the best in China's southwest.

Moreover, it yielded over 600 cultural artifacts, including lacquerware bowls, boxes, jars, and plates, along with bamboo utensils, musical pipes, copper-made spears and cooking tripods, wooden figurines, and various pottery and bronze objects.

Project leader Huang Wei considers this discovery, part of China's "golden age," a period during the Western and Eastern Han dynasties (206 B.C. to A.D. 220), as instrumental in establishing many Chinese traditions.

Calendrical Significance and High-Status Burial

Not involved in the Wulong discovery, astronomer Ed Krupp noted the uniqueness of the wooden slips found in the tomb. While the Tiangan Dizhi calendar is commonplace in Chinese astrology, these slips are the first and only known examples of such inscriptions on this type of object.

Krupp suggested that rather than functioning as a calendar, the slips might have been used to reference any year within the 60-year calendrical cycle, drawing a parallel with a practice observed in a Taoist temple in Suzhou, where each year is represented by a specially marked statue.

Highlighting the archaeological significance, Krupp proposed that the wooden slips possibly served to accentuate specific years in the calendrical cycle. Moreover, he pointed out that the artifacts discovered in the Wulong tomb suggested a person of high status was buried there.

Describing the collection as rich and expensive material, Krupp underscored the wealth of accompanying items, emphasizing the importance of this archaeological find.

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