TheTombNo.2atLeiguduninSuizhou(Abstract)ThetombNo.2atLeigudun(onamoundinZengdudistrict,2kilometersnorthwesttothecityproperofSuizhou)isthesecondlargesttombafterthewell-knowntomboftheMarquiseofZeng,i.e.,thetombNo.1atLeigudun.BothofthetombsarelocatedinSuizhouandbelongtothemembersoftherulinglineageoftheZengpolity.ItisbelievedbyarchaeologiststhatthetwotombsareofequalsignificanceinprovidingimportantevidenceforunderstandingoftheSuiculture,ritualpracticesandmusicalperformancesinthepre-Qintimes,andtherelationshipsbetweentheSuiandChupolities.ThepresentvolumereportsthediscoveryandexcavationofthetombNo.2atLeigudun.Itincludes449burialgoodsofvariouskinds,and32areunearthedfromadisturbingditch.Dateofthetombandthesocialstatusoftheoccupantarebothgivenindetailinthetextualsections.ThoughthetombNo.2wasactuallyexcavatedveryearly,thesitereportonlycomesoutaslateas2008formanyreasons.Wewouldparticularlyliketothankthepeoplewhoworkedveryhardinthepastseveraldecadeskeepingandconservingthematerialsfortheirpublication.
Thereporthasfourchapters.
ChapterIIntroduction
ThefirstsectionintroducesthegeographiclocationofSuizhou,environmentalandpoliticalchangessincethelateWesternZhoudynasty.SectiononealsoincludesthesituationofthecemeterywherethetombNo.2islocated,conservationandreconstructionofthefinds,andmaterialpreparationforpublication.
Suizhouislocatedintheso-calledSui-Zaocorridor,anarrowjointareaofthesouthandnorthpartsofChina,withbeautifullandscapes,comfortableclimateconditionsandfertilesoilforagriculturaluseanddenselyveinedwithrivers;foralltheabovementionedgeographicandnaturalconditions,thecityhasalwaysbeenperceivedsincetheantiquityasanidealandimportantlocationforhumanlivingandculturalcommunicationbetweenthesouthandthenorthofChina.TheSuipolitywasestablishedinthelateWesternZhouperiod.DuringtheearlySpringandAutumnperiod,itmoveditscapitaltotheSui-ZaocorridorareaandsubsequentlybecameapowerfulpolityontheeastbankoftheHanshuiRiver.
ChapterIITombsandtheMajorOccupant
DataofthetombNo.2includesfouraspects:burialmound,burialpit,furnishings,andtreatmentsofthedead.
1.TherewasindeedamoundrightabovetheburialchamberofthetombNo.2atLeigudun,whichwastotallyleveledtothegroundbythelocalmilitaryforcewhenbuildingacamp;
2.Thesecondpartintroducesthelocation,orientation,size,structure,andthefilloftheburialpit;
3.Thethirdpartintroducesthemajorcoffinandsubordinatecoffins;thecoffinofthetomboccupantislocatedinthemiddleofthenorthernpartoftheburialchamber,seriouslydeteriorated;coffinaccessoriesarescatteredaround;remainsofanothercoffin,probablyasubordinatecoffintothemajorcoffin,wasdiscov-eredinthesouthwesterncomerofthechamber,withnoburialgoodsinside;
4.Theskeletaldataisquitelimitedsincethebonesarehighlydeteriorated;whatwecanknowfromthebonesleftisthatthemajoroccupantwasheadedtotheeast,whilethesacrificedvictimintheaccompanyingcoffinwasburiedinanorth-southorientation.
ChapterIIIBurialGoods
Veryabundantburialgoods(intotal,449singleobjects)havebeenrecoveredfromthetombNo.2,includingbronzes,stoneandjadeobjects,potteryvessels,hornandglassobjects,shellornaments,andleadandtinvessels.Accordingtofunction,theycanbeclassifiedintomainlysixcategories,i.e.,ritualvessels,musicalinstruments,lifetools,horseandchariotfittings,adornments,andburialgoods.
(1)Bronzes
Ritualvesselsinclude:17ding(meat-stewingtripod),8gui(grain-offeringvessel),4fu(roundvesselwithflatbowlonhighopenworkfoot),10li(tripodalcookingvesselwithpouch-shapedfeet),1yan(grainsteamer),4zun(liquid-servingvessel),2washingpots,4pots,3dou(stembowl),1fu(vesselwithglobularbottom,madetofitastovetop),1dish,1yi(pouringvessel),3bi(pointedspoon),and1dou(ladlewithcylindricalcontainer);
Musicalinstrumentsinclude:36yongzhongbells,1drumstand,22hooksforhangingthebells;
Lifetoolsinclude:1fire-pan,1dustpan,1lid,1hook-shapedimplement,and1funnel;
Horseandchariotfittingsandornamentsinclude:4canopymounts,5axle-endornaments,6horsebits,16reigncontrollers,102bridleornaments,11bicha,36bird-shapedand18plank-shapedadornments.
(2)Jadeandstoneburialgoods
Ritualobjectsinclude:1bi(ring-shapeddisc),and1gui(pentagonaltablet);
Musicalinstrumentsinclude:12chimestones;
Ornamentsinclude:2arc-shapedpendants,and8agaterings;
(3)Ceramicvessels:7dou
(4)Leadandtinobjectsinclude64fish-shapedornaments,and15coffinaccessories;
(5)Othersignificantfindsinclude7horngig-bits,apairofdeerantlers,3crystalbeads,1stringofring-shapedbeads,and1shellornament.
Thetombwasmostlikelytohavebeenlootedinantiquity,whichiscorroboratedbytheco-occurrenceofthedisturbingditchnearthecoffinofthemajoroccupantandthelargeamountofburialgoodsseeminglyleftbythelooterswithintheditchbychurningthetombsoil.Itisforthisreason,wedeliberatelyseparatethesefindsfromthoseunearthedfromwithinthetombchamber.
The32findsfromtheditchinclude1potterydou,1stonebi,1jaderamfigurine,1jaderabbitfigurine,1jadeplug,20glassbeads,5perforatedturquoisebeads,and1spade-shapedironobject.
Allthesefindsareintroducedinatypologicalorder.Onesampleisselectivelygivenwhenmanytypologicallyidenticalvesselsarefound.
ChapterIVConclusions
Thelastsectionofthisreportincludesthefollowingresearchresults:
(1)DateofthetombNo.2atLeigudun:latephaseoftheearlyWarringStatesperiodthroughtheearlyphaseofthemiddleWarringStatesperiod;
(2)Identityofthemajortomboccupant:anotherMarquiseoftheZengpolityafterthefamousMarquiseYi;
(3)ThoughthefindsreflectaseriousinfluencefromtheChuculture,themajorelementsofthemortuarypracticebelongtotheZengculturalsphere.