- LIANYUNGANG (JIANGSU) (Xinhuanet)
-- A well-preserved ancient corpse, believed to date from the Western Han
Dynasty (BC 206- AD 24) was recently unearthed from a construction site
in Lianyungang, eastern Jiangsu Province.
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- The female corpse, estimated to be over 2,000 years old,
is said to still have elastic muscle tissue from being immersed in special
fluid in her coffin, according to Zhou Jinping, curator ofLianyungang
Museum which is currently looking after the find.
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- The coffin was sent to the museum after being discovered
at theconstruction site on July 8.
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- Archeologists found a female corpse floating in the liquid
whenthey opened the coffin. Most of her skin had turned brown and the veins
of some toes, which were exposed above the liquid, were visible.
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- A rectangular lacquer box, bamboo food container, comb,
copper mirror, lock of hair with a hairpin, and a clearly-written list
ofburial articles were also found in the coffin, Zhou revealed.
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- Xu Yongqing, a specialist in corpse preservation, pointed
out that the dead is an old lady, and there is sign of rot on her faceand
abdomen, which had happened before the coffin was opened.
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- Xu predicted that the corpse could be preserved in a
long time in fluid.
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- The corpse, believed to be priceless in terms of archeological
research, was now preserved in formalin and covered with a layer of absorbent
cotton, ready for further study to determine the woman's precise historical
age, social status and other backgrounddetails, said Zhou.
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- This latest find is only the third well-preserved Han
Dynasty corpse ever discovered. The other two were excavated separately
inthe famous Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha, Hunan Province, and theJingzhou
Han Tomb in Hubei Province. Enditem
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