Archaeologists uncovered a 3100-year-old tomb containing food vessels, including bronze soup bowls with extraordinary designs, in Baoji City in Shaanxi Province, China.
Excavations at the site started in 2012 after construction workers unearthed bronze vessels while preparing the area for building houses. Within a tomb marked as M4 a badly decomposed body of an unidentified individual was discovered. Archaeologists suspect the person was of elite status, and could potentially be a high ranking chief or the spouse of a chief. In close vicinity of this tomb at least 56 others were found. The food vessels include a four-handled tureen, which was often used to serve soup. The container – dotted with 192 spikes, is decorated with engravings of dragons and birds as well as 24 images showing the heads of bovines. Two wine vessels, each of which is in the shape of a deer, were also found among the food vessels. Engravings showing a variety of complex designs were found on the wine vessels.
(after Live Science & Chinese Cultural Relics)