Chinese archaeologists have unearthed a well-preserved skeleton at a tomb site in Chengdu, the capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Eight tombs were excavated earlier this month in the Longquanyi District in Chengdu, all dating back to the ancient Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206 BC).
The skeleton's cranium, ribs and shanks are all intact, and the skeleton measures about 1.8 meters in length.
Wang Yi, head of the Chengdu archaeological team, said this Qin Dynasty man was approximately 1.85 meters tall. The skeleton will be very useful to the study of the physical characteristics of the people of the Qin Dynasty.
A large number of coins, weapons and other utensils, including combs and pottery, were found in the tombs. The tombs possibly belonged to one large family, according to archaeologists.
(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2003)