Is China’s fabled Empress Dowager Huayang buried near an airport? A study says yes
An airport is an unlikely place to search for national origins but researchers say they have uncovered the tomb of the woman behind the man who unified China – next to a major city runway. The researchers said the tomb was believed to belong to Empress Dowager Huayang, the adoptive grandmother of Qin Shi Huang, who unified the warring states more than 2,200 years ago. “I believe the most likely…
Researchers have uncovered what they believe is the tomb of Empress Dowager Huayang, the adoptive grandmother of Qin Shi Huang, near an airport in Xian, China. Zhao Hanqing of the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology stated, "I believe the most likely identity of the tomb owner is Empress Dowager Huayang." Emphasizing the importance of Huayang in Qin Shi Huang's ascension, the empress adopted the Qin prince's father after he became king, which ultimately led to Qin Shi Huang's own reign.
The tomb, discovered within the planned expansion area of Xian Xianyang International Airport, was heavily looted, leaving behind only pottery, bronze, iron, jade, agate, and glass artifacts. However, radiocarbon dating of human remains suggests the tomb dates back about 2,250 years. The tomb's layout and burial system, exclusive to the Qin state, support the hypothesis that it belonged to Empress Dowager Huayang.
The discovery supports the historical record that the Qin state transitioned to separate burials for kings and queens, a practice that later influenced Qin Shi Huang's grand tomb.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
