Archaeologists in northwest China have identified an elaborately furnished tomb belonging to a young Tang Dynasty noblewoman, providing significant evidence for the extent of China’s engagement with trans-Eurasian exchange networks during the late seventh century.
The burial, designated M228, was excavated at Jiali Village on the outskirts of Xi’an during a systematic investigation conducted between 2022 and 2024 by the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology. Although the cemetery contains numerous family interments, M228 is distinguished by both the exceptional preservation of its contents and the unusually precise chronological information afforded by its epitaph.
The stone inscription identifies the occupant as Ma San Niang, wife of Dong Shunxian, a Left Guard officer in the imperial guard stationed in Longxi. It records that she died at her residence on May 17, 698 A.D., at the age of 29. The tomb forms part of a larger burial zone associated with the Dong lineage, a family with close ties to the Tang imperial house. Nearby burials include that of Dong Shaorong, spouse of the Tang prime minister Zhang Jiuling, thereby contributing new data for reconstructing the genealogy and sociopolitical standing of the Dong clan.
The assemblage accompanying Ma San Niang is notable for its diversity and quality. Personal grooming items include a bronze octagonal mirror decorated with floral and avian motifs, a gold hairpin, and a gold comb back executed with refined filigree and granulation techniques. In addition, a set of silver vessels, including a tripod jar and a stemmed goblet, bears grape and honeysuckle designs characteristic of artistic traditions from the Western Regions, historically linked to Sasanian Persia.
Of particular significance is the presence of 19 Sasanian Persian silver coins, two of which belong to rare varieties. These coins are interpreted not as circulating currency within China but as prestige objects acquired through long-distance exchange. By contrast, nearly 1,000 Kaiyuan Tongbao copper coins were placed near the deceased’s waist and right leg, consistent with contemporary mortuary practices intended to provision the afterlife.
According to Shi Sheng of the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, the assemblage constitutes material evidence for the cosmopolitan nature of elite culture during the Tang Dynasty. The integration of foreign iconographic elements with local craftsmanship illustrates the mechanisms through which Silk Road interactions were mediated within the Chinese heartland.
Sources : Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology
