The excavation of tomb M12 at Hujiacaochang cemetery in Jingzhou, Hubei

Abstract

Eighteen tombs were uncovered at the Hujiacaochang cemetery in Jingzhou City, Hubei Province in 2018. Tomb M12, a rectangular pit tomb with a wooden chamber, yielded grave goods made of a variety of materials including pottery, bronze, iron, lacquer, bamboo, and stone. Lacquered wooden artifacts, accounting for the largest number among all grave goods, including daily utensils, vanity cases, mingqi, and a game board. A large number of bamboo slips and wooden tablets were found in two bamboo hampers. These manuscripts can be classified into several categories, such as annals, calendar, summer/winter solstice, legal documents, medical and miscellaneous prescriptions, rishu-almanacs, buji-registries, and qiance-grave goods inventory. According to the typology of grave goods as well as the textual records on slips, tomb M12 is dated to the reign of Emperor Wen of the Western Han.