Chinese archaeologists are preparing to open a
2,200-year-old, well-preserved coffin in Hubei Province?that may contain large
amounts of silk fabrics.
A detailed plan is being drawn up to open the coffin,
excavated at the Xiejiaqiao No. 1 Tomb dating back to about 200
B.C.in Jingzhou City, said Yan Pin, director of the Jingzhou
Cultural Heritage Bureau.
The coffin was transported to a storehouse in the Jingzhou City
Museum where archaeologists will open it on Thursday if everything
goes well, Yan told Xinhua.
Four layers of delicate and intricately designed silk cloth were
found wrapped around the 2.46-meter-long coffin when it was
excavated. Yan said it was rare to see such a well-preserved tomb
in China.
Based on items recovered in the excavations that began on
November 20, chances are high there will be large amounts of silk
in the coffin, he said.
"But we have to be careful when opening it as silk with a
history of 2,000 years can easily be carbonized when exposed to the
air," Yuan said.
Workers are conducting preparatory work such as blocking out
sunlight and sterilizing the warehouse for Thursday's opening.
The identity of the tomb's owner is still unknown.
(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2007)
