Majiayuan cemetery is located on a farmland called “Majiayuan” in the north of Taoyuan Village, Muhe Township, Zhangjiachuan Hui Autonomous County, Tianshui City, Gansu Province, China.
The total area of the cemetery is about 30,000 square meters. As of 2014, 66 tombs have been discovered through exploration. The cemetery is centered on the large tomb M6, and the rest of the tombs are located on the north and east and west sides of the tomb.
An approximately 40-year-old man was buried in the tomb M16. Highly decorated wagon was buried in front of the burial chamber. Among the grave goods found with an owner of the tomb there were three luxurious belts, an arm bracelet, and two large semi-circular necklaces, one gold, one silver.
Decorations of a car
The big horned sheep-shaped decoration. Gold L: 7.5 cm, W: 6.7 cm; 4.57 grams
Tiger-shaped decoration. Gold L 9.5 cm, W: 6.5 cm; 3.33 grams
Double bird’s beak shaped decoration.
L: 20.3 cm, W: 10.4 cm; 8.6 grams
Photo source: https://www.sohu.com/a/518331274_121106869
Gold belts from the Tomb M16
Three gold belts were found with a body of the deceased, one of them with a big elaborated belt hook.
Belt no. 1 consist of 27 pieces [length 2.9 cm, width 2.1 cm, weight 0.49-0.68 grams], total weight 14.52 grams.
Belt no. 2 consist of 21 pieces: 19 ornaments and 2 belt buckles. Big plaques are 9 cm in length, 5.3-5.5 cm in width, and 6.22-6.64 grams in weight.
The belt ornaments are 4.8-5 cm in length, 2.6-2.8 cm in width, and they weights 1.58-2.67 grams.
The total weight of the belt is 48.13 grams.
Belt no. 3 consist of 9 pieces: length 6.4, width 3.7, thickness 0.1 cm, single piece weight 30.31 ~ 40.50 grams, total weight of the belt – 310.62 grams
[source: the China National Silk Museum, the exhibition 2017]
https://archaeology.pku.edu.cn
https://archaeology.pku.edu.cn
length 6.4 cm, width 3.7 cm, weight 30.31 grams
Earrings, the overall length is 4.7 cm, the ring diameter is 2 cm.
“It is composed of gold ring, flesh red chalcedony, gold flakes and turquoise. The round pie-shaped gold piece at the bottom, the middle of the gold piece is separated into two parts by an “S”-shaped gold wire, inlaid with flesh red stone pith and turquoise respectively, forming a pattern similar to Tai Chi, earring handle, gold piece and round cake Small gold beads are welded around the perimeter of the gold-shaped piece.” [compare with earrings from the tomb M14]
Decorations of a car
The big horned sheep-shaped golden car decoration M16:208 is 7.5 in length, 6.7 cm in height and 4.57 grams in weight
Tiger-shaped golden car decoration M16:207 9.5 cm long, 6.5 cm high and 3.33 grams in weight
Double bird’s beak silver wheel decoration M16:120 width 20.3 cm, height 10.4 cm, weight 8.6 grams
Silver cup M16:26 caliber 6.4, bottom diameter 6.4, height 8.8 cm, weight 185 grams
Golden arm bracelet (a thin gold sheet is curled and formed, and five tile ribs are hammered on it, and there are rope patterns woven by gold threads between the tile ribs). The decoration is inlaid with turquoise and carnelian.
The bracelet is 9.5 cm in length, 4.8-6.6 cm in diameter, and weighs 159 grams.
Found in Majiayuan cemetery, Tomb 16, the Warring States Period [4th-3rd century BCE]
- THE HAN EMPIRE AND THE HELLENISTIC WORLD: PRESTIGE GOLD AND THE EXOTIC HORSE
Yan Liu http://maajournal.com/Issues/2020/Vol20-3/12_Liu_20(3).pdf - 原文網址：https://kknews.cc/culture/nleboy5.html
- https://new.qq.com/omn/20210829/20210829A04FL700.html
- https://www.sohu.com/a/518331274_121106869
- Pekin University Archaeology and “Hundred Years of Archaeological Discoveries” – Majiayuan Site in Zhangjiachuan https://archaeology.pku.edu.cn/info/1030/3489.htm
- New Knowledge of Ancient Roads: Silk Road Cultural Heritage Science and Technology Achievements Exhibition; in the China National Silk Museum, 2017 https://www.chinasilkmuseum.com
Catalog >> https://iidos.cn/RoadApplication/info.aspx?itemid=8923#book8923/