Joint tombs of boat-shaped coffins

Discoveries

• In 2000, a number of boat-shaped coffins were found at a tomb site in central Chengdu. This tomb is believed to be royal from the former kingdom of Shu in Warring States period. The tomb measure 30.5 x 20.3m and has a depth of 2.5m. The tomb contains a total of 17 coffins and is dated 400BC. The biggest boat-shaped coffin is 18.8m long and 1.5m wide and contains a large amount of cultural objects.
• In early 2017 nearly 200 tombs with boat-shaped coffins were found in an area as big as two football pitches in the village of Shuangyuan in Dawang in Qingbaijiang district outside Chengdu. Numerous bronze artifacts were uncovered in the tombs.
• In 2018 it was announced that tombs with 60 boat-shaped coffins placed in four rows were found in the village Pujiang County in Sichuan. In the tombs more than 300 artefacts of ceramics, bronze, iron and bamboo were unearthed. Also weapons, coins and class pearls have been excavated. The pearls were likely to be imported through the Silk road. The discoveries are dated to the Warring States period and the Qin dynasty.