2,000-year-old tombs excavated in China

Beijing: More than 20 funeral artefacts were unearthed during the excavation of two 2,000-year-old tombs in Hunan province of China, the media reported on Friday.

The tombs, thought to be from either the late West Han (206 BC-24 AD) or early East Han (24-220 AD) dynasties, were discovered in November at a construction site in Huaihua city, Xinhua news agency reported.

The larger tomb was equipped with a drainage ditch, an unusual feature of tombs in the area.

Archaeologists found pottery utensils such as boxes, buckets, kettles and pots as well as copper coins and golden ornaments in the tombs.

"From the size of the tomb and variety of artefacts, we think that it could have belonged to a wealthy family," said Yang Zhiyong, curator of Huaihua city museum.