Archeologists have discovered a large number of bronze, earthen, iron and lacquer objects from a group of tombs more than 2,000 year old in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province in southwest China.

The tombs, found in a construction site in suburban Shuangliu County of Chengdu, include seven of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), three brick structures of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) and one of uncertain age. But the exact number of the tombs has yet to be known, said one archeologist on Monday.

Although some of the ancient tombs had been visited by grave robbers, archeologists still unearthed many funerary objects, including bronze cattle, pottery dogs, dishes, iron tools, coins, and a wooden lacquer ware with ancient Chinese characters.

Experts are trying to identify the number of the tombs and the words on the lacquer article.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2003)