The Springs and Autumns Period Qin Burials at Yuandingshan, Lixian County, Gansu

The Springs and Autumns Period Qin Burials at Yuandingshan, Lixian County, Gansu Gansu Provincial Institute of Antiquity and Archaeology and Lixian County Museum Keywords: Yuandingshan of the Lixian County Springs and Autumns period Qin burials chariot burial The Yuandingshan Mount 圆顶山, located 13 km to the east of the seat of the Lixian 礼县 County, and to the southwest of the Zhaoping 赵坪 Village of Yongxing 永兴 Township, embraces a cemetery on its northern slope, which faces the southern bank of the Yangshui 漾水 River. The cemetery was looted in the beginning of 1998, and was then excavated by a collaborative team from the Gansu Provincial Institute of Antiquity and Archaeology and the Lixian County Museum during the following months of February through June. Three human burials (98LDKM1 M3) and one chariot burial (98LDK1) were thus exposed; the material is presented below. I. Human Burials All of the three burials are rectangular shaft pits in the direction of 275 degrees lined in a latitudinal order. These burials, separated by 10 m and 102 m, are labeled as 98LDM1, 98LDM2, and 98LDM3 respectively from the western one. The chariot burial, by 86 degrees on the compass, is located about 20 m to the northwest of burial M3. 1. Burial M1 The burial opens 250 300 cm below the presentday ground; the rectangular structure measures 490 cm long, 280 cm wide, and 700 cm deep. The filling earth was pounded but with indefinable layers. At the depth of 570 cm, there are two ledges of sterile soil of 45 46 cm wide, and 130 cm high against the southern and northern sides. On the bottom there is a waist pit of 60 cm long, 74 40 cm wide, and 10 cm deep (Fig. 1). Inside the burial are one coffin and one chamber, both of which are decayed. The structure and length of the chamber evade our investigation, but traces of wooden planks reveal a dimension of 195 cm wide and an incomplete height of 135 cm. On the bottom there is a layer of yellow sticky clay of 10 cm thick. Underneath the chamber there are two logs laid in latitudinal direction. The coffin is rectangular, but its size is unknown. At the four corners are left bronze ornaments. The deceased is already decomposed and the position of the body is unknown, but a great amount of vermilion remains in the coffin. Three side burials and one dog accompany the deceased. Each burial is placed in a niche in the southern and northern walls (X1 X3). Niches X1 and X3 are located on the western side of the northern wall 90 cm apart. X1 contains a reddish lacquer coffin of 112 cm long, 40 cm wide, and 34 cm high, retaining 2 cm thick of carbonized planks. The deceased lies in supine position with extended limbs, heading westward and facing northward. Inventory consists of stone ornaments, bead string, stone fish figurine, bone fish figurine, cowrie currency, and stone mouth-filling. Niche X3 does not possess coffin. The deceased only preserves legs; it heads westward, and lies in supine position with contracted limbs. Accompanying objects include stone ornaments and jade pieces. Niche X2, located in the southern wall and 550 cm below the ground, has a vaulted ceiling and a deformed square shape. It contains

1 2 3 4 5 54 7 8 52 53 42 44 41 43 40 45 N 6 14 15 20 24 25 32 31 22 19 21 17 18 13 11 16 12 9 10 23 46 50 29 30 26 27 49 48 47 55 56 51 28 Fig. 1 Plan and elevation of 98LDM1 1. jade ornament 2 4, 6, 20, 23, 26, 27, 29. stone gui-tablets 5, 28, 31. bronze bells 7, 8. bronze square hu-pots 9, 10. bronze hecase 11 13, 16, 18, 25. bronze ding-tetrapods 14. bronze yi- ewer 15. bronze hevessel 17, 19. gui-food containers 21. bronze he-vessel 22. bronze pan-plate 24. bronze hu-pot 30, 40, 44, 50, 54. stone ornaments 32. bronze coffin ornament 41. stone fish figurine 42. wooden fish figurine 43, 45. cowrie currency and beads 46. jade knife 47, 56. jade prisms 48. jade jueearring 49, 53. jade sheets 51. stone prism 52. stone cube (33 39. broken pottery wares under the bronze objects) 0 1 2 M a reddish lacquer coffin of 136 cm long, 36 cm wide, and 40 cm high, also retaining 2 cm thick of carbonized planks. The deceased lies on the back with contracted limbs, heading westward, and facing southward. Ac- Volume 3 companying goods are a stone prism, stone mouthfilling, jade spatula, jade jue-earring, and jade fragments. 2. M3 The burial opens at 280 cm below the present-day 75

ground. The rounded rectangular shaft pit, whose walls rendered smooth and straight, measures 480 cm long, 260 cm wide, and 600 cm deep. The filling earth, tempered with limestone, was pounded, but it does not clearly tell layers. Under the northern and southern walls 500 cm deep from the present-day ground there are two ledges of 20 cm and 30 cm wide respectively but N 18 20 17 19 18 11 3 10 2 7 9 6 8 14 5 12 13 16 4 15 1 0 1 2 M Fig.2 Plan and elevation of 98LDM3 1. tooth of river deer 2, 14, 17. stone gui-tablets 3. bronze zun-vessel 4, 5. pottery ding-tripods 6. bronze ding-tripod 7, 11, 15. bronze bells 8-10. pottery guan-jars 12. bronze ge-halberd 13. bronze sword 16. stone jue-earring 18. stone ornaments 19. stone crump 20. fragment of jade 76 both 100 cm high (Fig. 2). Both chamber and coffin preserve nothing but a little trace of carbonized plank. The structure and length of the chamber are thus unknown, but the width is 200 cm, and the remaining height is 100 cm. On the bottom retains a layer of yellow sticky clay of 10 cm thick. The coffin is rectangular in shape, but its size escapes our knowledge. The deceased, already decayed, does not show any clue of disposition. But there is some vermilion in the coffin. One accompanying burial is located in a niche in the northern wall. The niche, rounded rectangular in shape, does not contain coffin, but straw mattress instead. The deceased lies in supine position, heading westward, and facing southward. Inventory includes stone guitablet, stone ornaments, stone pieces, and jade fragments. II. The Chariot Burial (98LDK1) 1. Burial structure The burial is located 20 m to the northwest of burial M3. The shaft pit opens 1.9 m below the present-day ground and lies in a latitudinal order at 86 degrees. This well-rendered structure, measuring 1880 cm long, 315 cm wide, and 400 cm deep, contains 5 chariots (labeled Nos.1 5 from the west), with thill pointing westward. Nos. 1, 3, and 4 have four horses, while Nos. 2 and 5 have two, and one even contains one horseman. This chariot burial has been severely looted, and only a limited amount of artifacts, i.e. chariot parts, ornaments, arrowheads, all made of bronze, as well as iron artifacts, ceramics, and lacquer ware, are left (Fig. 3). Chariot No. 1, located in the eastern end, has two horses at both sides. The horses, heading eastward, and bending their limbs in the sense of crouching, carry on their necks not only yokes, but also leather bridle and psalia. The horse skeletons, well preserved, lie on reed mattress. The chariot is placed in a prepared pit of 192 cm long, 110 cm wide, and 120 cm deep. Inside the seat frame lies a horseman, who heads westward, faces northward, and lies in contracted position on one side. The two wheels set into separate grooves of 158 cm long, 43 cm wide, and 30 cm deep (Fig. 4). Chariots Nos. 2 5 are all severely disturbed, leaving their structure mysterious, but traces observable indicate that these chariots were disposed in the same pattern as No.1. Except those of No.5, horses of Nos.2 4 were removed of skin, after which their heads and trunks were wrapped with lacquer sheet, while their eyes, brows, and bodies were attached with bronze

cowries. On the left side of chariot No.2 there is a bunch of arrowheads originally placed in a decayed quiver. In the chariot pit of No.3 are found ceramic wares such as guan-jar and li-tripod, while in that of No.5 are disposed a great quantity of sheep, pig, dog, and deer bones, either full skeletons or skull and limbs. The horse skeletons show trace of cloth that originally wrapped them. All the horses rest upon reed mattress underneath. 2. Chariot structure From what we observe during excavation, the chariot parts, except for yokes and axle caps, were all made of wood and coated with brown lacquer. The wooden parts, however, were all decayed, and we have to rely on the remaining lacquer sheet and impressions to reconstruct them (using No.1 as model). The wheels (by the outer rim) are 208 cm apart, 132 cm in diameter, and 415 cm in parameter. The wheel rings are square in section and 5 cm per side. Hubs, 50 cm from the ring and swelling at the middle like spindles, have a length of 52 cm. Each wheel has 28 of spokes, at the interval of 12 cm. The axle, 286 cm at full length, increases its size towards the middle. Its two ends carry accept caps and securers. The chariot box rests on the axle through intermediate woods, and the thill, which joins the axle at a right angle. The thill, 292 cm long, measures 12 cm, 10 cm, and 8 cm in diameter at the rear, middle and front ends respectively. It then joins with the yoke, which measures 123 cm long and 2 cm in diameter, and has wrapping at both ends. Both thill and yoke are painted with brown lacquer. The chariot box exceeds the frontal rim of the wheels by 86 cm, and the rear rim by 84 cm. The frame on the bottom, made up of four bars on the bottom, measures 170 cm long and 78 cm wide. Under the frame are fixed with two square bars to either side of the thill so as to enhance the strength of the frame. Under the frame there preserves trace of longitudinal plank with black lacquer, which should be a bottom board of the frame. Around the frame remains trace of railings of all the four sides, but their structure and size are unknown. Upon the box there is a round canopy of 134 cm in diameter. Two ribs that support the canopy crisscrossed at the pillar, and measure 63 cm long and 0.5 cm in diameter. Upon the ribs there are H-shaped buckles, bone tube, and bronze tubes. Inside the box there lies a horseman in contracted position on one side, heading westward, facing northward, and gathering arms in front of the chest. He holds a small jade in the right hand, carries vermilion on the body, and has a ceramic li- Fig. 3 Panorama of 98LDK1 0 1 M Fig. 4 Sketch of No. 1 chariot of 98LDK1 N Volume 3 77

1 3 2 Fig. 5 Bronze ding-tripod 1. M1:12 2. M1:25 3. M1:11 (Scales: 1, 3. 1/5; 2. 2/5) Fig. 6 Type B bronze gui-food container (98LDM1:17) tripod at the head side. III. Inventory 1. Funeral goods Burials M1 and M3 altogether yield 111 items of funeral goods, most of which find themselves on the top of chambers, and between chamber and coffin on the 78 western side. These goods are generally made of bronze, ceramic, jade, stone, bone, and cowrie. Bronze ding-tripod, 7 pieces. Four of them (M1: 12, 13, 16, 18) are of identical form and decoration but diminish in size successively as a set. Each has a constricting mouth, two standing ears, a bloated body, and hoof- ended legs. It retains moot. The neck bears the improvised-curve (qiequ) motif, the body scales (chuilin), the legs interlacing dragons (panchi) motif, the ears with coiling square (hui) motif on the outer side. Sample M1:12 measures 23.1 cm high and 22.2 cm in diameter at the mouth (Fig. 5:1). An isolated piece M1:25 shows a suave contour. Its neck and legs bear the interlacing dragons motif, body the wave motif, the ears the coiling square motif. It measures 23.6 cm high, and 23.6 cm in mouth diameter (Fig. 5:2). Sample M1:11 has a flat-topped lid, which carries a ring grip, and three L-shaped grips around. The vessel displays a straight mouth, and a semispherical body. Its lid and neck bear the interlacing dragons motif, the ears concentric rings. Altogether it measures 20.4 cm high, 18.13 cm across at the mouth (Fig. 5:3).

1 Fig. 7 Bronze hu-pot 1. type A (98LDM1:8) 2. type B (98LDM1:24) (Scales: 1. 1/6; 2. 1/3) 2 Bronze gui-food container, 2 pieces. Sample M1:17 has a lid with a ring grip. The vessel has a long lidreceiving mouth, a bloated body, a flat bottom, ring foot, and a pair of animal-headed ring ears. It bears the interlacing dragons motif and the horizontal rib motif. It measures 18.6 cm high, and 18.2 cm across at the mouth (Fig. 6). Bronze hu-pot, 3 pieces. Two of them (M1:7, 8) are identical in form, decoration, and size. It has a lid with ring grip, a long lid-receiving mouth, a long neck with a pair of animal-headed ring ears, a bloated body, a flat bottom and a high ring foot. The lid, the body, and the neck show pairs of animal-head sculptures. The ring foot carries a crouching tiger at each corner. The lid top, the double rings, and the ring foot display the interlacing dragons motif, while the vertical surface of the lid, the neck, the body, and ears the improvised-curve motif. M1:8 measures 49 cm high altogether, 20.8 cm in mouth Volume 3 diameter (Figs. 7:1; 8). Sample M1:24, a round one, has a straight mouth, a long neck, a swelling body, and a flat bottom. It bears a bank of cord design on the rim, a pair of cord-formed ears on the body, and a cord band on the bottom with three cord-formed feet. The neck and shoulder show the interlacing dragons pattern, the body the wave pattern. It measures 27.2 cm high (Fig. 7:2). Bronze he-vessel, 1 piece (M1:21). It has a square lid with a ring grip. The vessel has a lid-receiving mouth, a compressed body, and a nearly flat bottom, which rests on four couchant human figurines. The top of the lid carries a large bird sculpture with feather and the improvised-curve motif, and four small birds on the four corners, while lid trunk four tigers perking their heads. Other animal motifs are an animal-head spout, four perking tigers on the shoulder, and crouching bears on the ears. The frontal claw of a bear joins the rear claw of the tiger on lid and make a hinge for opening the lid. 79

Fig. 8 Type A bronze hu -pot (98LDM1:8) Fig. 9 Bronze hu -vessel (98LDM1:21) Fig. 10 Bronze he -vessel (98LDM1:15) Fig. 11 Bronze zun -vessel (98LDM3:3) The lid and body accepts the interlacing dragons and band motifs, while the body receives a pair of protruding animal figurines in the middle. The vessel measures 32 cm high altogether (Fig. 9). Bronze pan-plate, 1 piece (M1:22). It has a flat fold rim, a moderate depth, and ears attached to the body and linked to the rim by a beam. Its ring foot carries three animal-head legs. The body and foot bear the interlacing dragons pattern and the improvised-curve pattern on the ears. It measures 16.2 cm in height, and 46.8 cm in mouth diameter. Bronze yi-ewer, 1 piece (M1:14). It takes the form of scoop, with an up-lifting spout, a deep body, and a flat bottom. It also has a ring grip under the mouth, and 80 dragon-headed ring ear at the rear of the object. It bears the interlinking coiling squares (yunlei) and triangles filled with the interlinking coiling squares pattern. Its mouth diameter is 29.2 cm. Bronze he-vessel, 1 piece (M1:15). This vessel, elliptical in section, has a constricted neck, a swelling body, and a flat bottom. It carries a pair of ring ears under the neck, and a pair of coiling-tailed dragon-headed ears on the trunk. It bears the S-pattern motif, raised lines, and triangles filled with the interlinking coiling squares pattern, while its ears and grips bear the scale pattern. Its mouth diameter is 31.2 cm (Fig. 10). Bronze zun-vessel, 1 piece (M3:3). The lid of this vessel swells on the surface, and carries a ring grip, and

Fig. 12 Type A bronze he -case (98LDM1:9) three nails that grasp the mouth of the vessel. The body has a shrinking mouth, a short neck, and a folded shoulder, a curved trunk, and a flat bottom. It measures 12 cm in total height, and 11.2 cm in mouth diameter (Fig. 11). Bronze he-case, 2 pieces. Sample M1:9 is a rectangular case topped with a lid made up of two fans, and attached with four standing birds. These birds are movable, and when they turn towards the center, they could secure the lid. On one fan there is a grip in the form of crouching-bear, and on another there is another grip in the form of kneeling human (head broken). Each corner of the case has one roaring tiger. Under the case bottom there are four wheels with axle and caps. These movable wheels all have eight spokes. Except for the bottom, all the surfaces bear the interlacing dragons motif. This item measures 8.8 cm high, and 11.1 cm by 7.5 cm by 2.9 cm in dimension (Fig. 12). M1:10 is a rectangular one as well, and can open on one side. Except for the bottom, all the surfaces bear the interlacing dragons motif interposed with triangles. The case measures 7.8 cm by 5.5 cm by 2.7 cm (Fig. 13). Bronze ge-halberd, 1 piece (M3:12). It has a triangular tip, a short blade without ridge, and a long hilt with a rectangular hole. The side column has three holes. Its total length is 18.1 cm. Bronze sword, 1 piece (M3:13). The tip is rounded, Volume 3 and the blade is gradually enlarging, and forming a ridge in the middle. The rear part consists of a curving check, a flat handle, and separately cast crest. It bears deformed animal (taotie) motif on the check, and square coils (lei) on the handle. Its total length is 26 cm. In addition, there are 8 bronze bells and 2 coffin ornaments. Pottery wares count 12 pieces including dingtripods and guan-jars. They are made of fine gray clay in hard texture. Stone and jade artifacts count 57 pieces. The stone artifacts, 45 pieces altogether, embrace the forms of guitablet, jue-earring, cowrie, fish, prism, tube, and mouthfilling. The jade items, 12 pieces in total, take the forms of gui-tablet, spatula, prism, jue-earring and irregular shapes. Bone and cowrie objects count 14, which cover the types of river deer teeth, bone imitation of jade, cowrie currency, and bead string. 2. Artifacts from chariot burial Bronze chariot parts include four axle caps, two securers, five yoke caps, four buckles from the burial, and one cylindrical shaft cap from a looting tunnel. Also included are of accessory parts, ornaments, and bridles. These are ten mouth grips, 19 psalias, bells, rings, buckles, bridle ornaments, and bronze cowries. Chariot No.1 preserves leather bridles, which look like 81

Fig. 13 Type B bronze he-case (98LDM1:10) net with knots at joints. Other objects, due to looting, are very few. These include belt hook, cord securer, arrowheads made of bronze, guan-jar and li-tripod made of ceramic, hand grip made of jade, cowrie currency, cord joints of bone, and antlers. IV. Observations The Yuandingshan burials are another important discovery of the Qin period after the excavation of burial of the Qin Lord at Dabaozi 大堡子 in 1994. The three burials yield bronzes, ceramic assemblage, and decorative motifs similar to the Qin burials found at the Guo State cemetery at Shangcunling 上村岭 in Sanmenxia 三门峡, Henan 河南, those found at Songcun 宋村 in Huxian 户县 County, and those found at Baqitun 八旗屯 in Fengxiang 凤翔 County, Shaanxi 陕西, which date themselves to the late Western Zhou and early Springs and Autumns period. The accompanying victims in human burials and chariot burial reveal the historical fact that the Qin State remained in the mode of slavery in this time. Burial M1, by artifact assemblage, forms and motifs of bronzes, is approximately the same with burial M2, but the two burials have their own distinctive artifacts, which may connect to the sexes and social status of the occupants. M1 produces the spectacular square he-cases, which might have contained jewelry, and cosmetics of women, whereas burial M2 proffers weapons such as ge-halberd and sword. Thus we suspect that the occupants were an elite couple. The chariot burial should have belonged to M1 and M2. The bronze artifacts, ceramics imitating bronze ritual vessels, bronze ge-halberd and sword from M3 warrant us to speculate that the occupant was a lesser elite. References 1. Zhongguo Kexueyuan Kaogu Yanjiusuo 中国科学院考古研究所 (1959). Shangcunling Guoguo Mudi 上村岭虢国墓地. Beijing: Kexue Chubanshe 科学出版社. 2. Shaanxi Sheng Wenguanhui Qinmu Fajuezu 陕西省文管会秦墓发掘组 (1975). Shaanxi Huxian Songcun Chunqiu muzang fajue ji 陕西户县宋村春秋墓葬发掘记. Wenwu 文物 1975.10: 55 67. 3. Shaanxi Sheng Yongcheng Kaogudui 陕西省雍城考古队, Wu Zhenfeng 吴镇烽, Shang Zhiru 尚志儒 (1980). Shaanxi Fengxiang Baqitun Qinguo mudi fajue jianbao 陕西凤翔八旗屯秦国墓地发掘简报. Wenwu Ziliao Congkan 文物资料丛刊 1980.3: 67 79. 4. Dai Chunyang 戴春阳 (2000). Lixian Dabaozishan Qingong mudi ji youguan wenti 礼县大堡子山秦公墓地及有关问题. Wenwu 2000.5: 74 80. Note: This report is originally published in Wenwu 2002.2: 4 30, with 41 illustrations, and written by Mao Ruilin 毛瑞林, Li Yongning 李永宁, Zhao Wucheng 赵吴成, Wang Gang 王刚. The present version, an abridgment from the original, is prepared by the first two authors and English-translated by Zhang Liangren 张良仁. 82