The excavation of Liao dynasty tomb of Han Derang in Beizhen, Liaoning

Abstract

Excavation and survey of the cemetery in the northwest of Hongjiajie, Futun Village, Beizhen City were jointly conducted by the Liaoning Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and other institutes between 2015 and 2017. Four tombs were excavated. Tomb M4 is square in layout and has a descending entrance corridor leading to the tomb chambers. The tomb consists of an entrance corridor, a ventilation shaft, an entrance, front and rear passages, an antechamber, a main chamber, and two side chambers. Remnants of mural paintings and floor paintings were found in multiple parts of the tomb. Grave goods, including pottery, porcelain, metals, jade, and glass artifacts were retrieved. According to the epitaph, the tomb occupant is Han Derang, the Grand Counselor-in-Chief of the Liao dynasty. This discovery provides significant data for the study of the spatial patterns of Liao imperial mausoleums in Yiwulü Mountain, especially as a reliable reference for confirming the location of the Liao Qianling mausoleum.