Archaeologists find gold excavating royal Chinese tombs

Archaeologists digging in the royal Haihunhou cemetery in Nanchang City in eastern China have unearthed gold coins, gold sheets, gold ingots, and other relics from the Han Dynasty. In addition to the gold coins, hoof-shaped gold ingots, jade pendants and 2,000-year-old goose-shaped bronze lamps were also found. Recent finds include 20 thin gold sheets.

The excavation site covers more than 43,000 square feet and is believed by researchers to be the tomb of Liu He. Liu He was the first Haihunhou, or marquis of Haihun State, a small kingdom in the north Jiangxi Province. The cemetery has been subjected to archaeological exploration since 2011. More than 10,000 items have been discovered during the multiple excavations, with 110 of the items recovered put on exhibition at the Jiangxi Provincial Museum in Nanchang.

Turtle-shaped jade stamp