The Archaeologist

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Kublai Khan, Genghis Khan's grandson, left behind 12 graves in China that were beautifully decorated and made of carved bricks

China has a lengthy past. Along with fossil evidence from the Paleolithic Era, the nation has also experienced the rise and fall of numerous empires and dynasties. Archaeologists recently found 12 magnificent tombs in Shandong, China, that are thought to be around 700 years old.

According to the local archeological institute, 12 ancient graves from the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) have been unearthed in Jinan, in east China's Shandong Province. One of the most significant discoveries ever made in the province of eastern China is this one.

Kublai Khan, the conqueror Genghis Khan's grandson, established the Yuan dynasty. The tombs are associated with the Guo family, according to an inscription that was found at the burial complex.

The murals in one of the two-chamber Yuan Dynasty tombs were comparatively well maintained. Chisels and wooden hammers were used to carve patterns into the bricks for the carved murals. The murals' magpies and branches featured a traditional Chinese good luck symbol.

The director of the institute, Li Ming, claims that this is the largest collection of Yuan Dynasty brick mural tombs to have been discovered in the region.

A view of the tomb cluster. /CFP

According to Li, "the tombs were arranged in an orderly and seemingly planned manner, and some of the owners were related by blood, providing new material for the study of the organization of family cemeteries in the Yuan Dynasty."

More than 60 pieces of pottery and porcelain ware, bronze mirrors, copper coins, and other cultural items were discovered during the dig, which got underway on April 23. The findings will support research on the Yuan Dynasty porcelain made in the area and its surroundings.

From 1271 to 1368, the Mongol Empire was ruled by Kublai Khan, the fifth Khagan and a member of the Borjigin line.