Archaeologists have unearthed more than two million copper coins from an ancient complex of tombs in the Xinjian District of China.
The 2,000-year-old money, which bears Chinese symbols, characters, and a square hole in the centre, was found at a dig site in the city of Nanchang.
The value of the coins is said to be around £104,000 ($157,340) and experts believe the main tomb is that of Liu He – the grandson of Emperor Wu, the greatest ruler of Han Dynasty.
Archaeologists have unearthed more than two million copper coins from an ancient complex of tombs in the Xinjian District of China
The dynasty ruled between 206 BC and 25 AD.
Experts hope the discovery – which also includes 10,000 other gold, bronze and iron items, chimes, bamboo slips, and tomb figurines – may now shed more light on the life of nobility from ancient times.
THE DEMISE OF THE WESTERN HAN DYNASTY (202 BC – 220 AD)
The Western Han was regarded as the first unified and powerful empire in Chinese history
While there are many theories behind the fall of the Western Han Dynasty, recent research suggests human interaction with the environment played a role in its demise.
A census taken by China in 2 AD suggests the area struck by the massive 14-17 AD flood was very heavily populated, with an average of 122 people per square kilometre, or approximately 9.5 million people living directly in the flood’s path.
Historical accounts indicate that communities hit by the flood were soon in complete disarray, with reports of people resorting to banditry to obtain food and stay alive.
By AD 20-21, the devastated region had become the centre of a rebellion that would end the Western Han Dynasty’s five-century reign of power.
The find follows a five-year excavation process on the site which houses eight tombs and a chariot burial site.
It covers (430,550 sq ft (40,000 square metres) with walls that stretch for almost 9,690 ft (900 metres) and experts believe Liu’s wife is buried in one of the tombs, RT reported.
Xin Lixiang of the China National Museum said the next step is to look within the tomb for items that will give a clearer idea of the occupant.
‘There may be a royal seal and jade clothes that will suggest the status and identity of the tombs occupant,’ he said.
Chinese people started using coins as currency around 1,200 BC, where instead of trading small farming implements and knives, they would melt them down into small round objects and then turn them back into knives and farm implements when needed.
It meant early coins were known as ‘knife money’ or ‘tool money’, and as people began to rely on them more for commerce they were replaced by copper coins which were of a very low value and often had holes in the middle.
The hole meant the coins could be strung together to create larger denominations, with typically around 1,000 coins on a single string being worth one tael of pure silver
The 2,000-year-old money, which bears Chinese symbols, characters, and a square hole in the centre, was found at a dig site in the city of Nanchang
The ancient money, which bears Chinese symbols, characters, and a square hole at its centre, were found at a dig site in the Xinjian District in the city of Nanchang, capital of East China’s Jiangxi Province
The hole meant the coins could be strung together to create larger denominations, with typically around 1,000 coins on a single string which was worth one tael of pure silver
It is hoped the discovery – which also includes 10,000 other gold, bronze and iron items, chimes, bamboo slips, and tomb figurines – may now shed more light on the life of nobility from ancient times
At face value they would be valued at around £104,060 ($157,340), but because of their age and history are believed to be worth far more.
A single coin can in fact sell for thousands of pounds, although at the time copper coins had a very low value.
The Western Han was regarded as the first unified and powerful empire in Chinese history.
While there are many theories behind the fall of the Western Han Dynasty, recent research suggests human interaction with the environment played a central role in its demise.
The find follows a five-year excavation process on the site in Nanchang (marked) which houses eight tombs and a chariot burial site. It covers (430,550 sq ft (40,000 square metres) with walls that stretch for almost 9,690 ft (900 metres) and experts believe Liu’s wife is buried in one of the tombs
Chinese people started using coins as currency around 1,200 BC, where instead of trading small farming implements and knives, they would melt them down into small round objects and turn them back into knives
At face value they would be valued at around £104,060 ($157,340), but because of their age and history are believed to be worth far more. A single coin can in fact sell for thousands of pounds, although at the time copper coins had a very low value
A census taken by China in 2 AD suggests the area struck by the massive 14-17 AD flood was very heavily populated, with an average of 122 people per square kilometre, or approximately 9.5 million people living directly in the flood’s path.
By AD 20-21, the devastated region had become the centre of a rebellion that would end the Western Han Dynasty’s five-century reign of power.
Along with the tonnes of coins found were also chimes, bamboo slips, and tomb figurines, all of which accompanied deceased nobles of the past when they were buried underground.
The items discovered have promised to help fill in more gaps as historians try to complete the puzzle of ancient Chinese burial customs.
HOARD OF 5,000 ANGLO SAXON COINS UNEARTHED: TREASURE INCLUDES A ‘UNIQUE’ PENNY AND MAY BE WORTH MORE THAN £1 MILLION
A hoard of more than Anglo Saxon 5,000 coins have been unearthed, including what may be a unique penny.
The discovery, near Lenborough, Buckinghamshire is said to be the biggest hoard of coins in modern times.
It includes a uniquely-stamped coin which may be the results of a mix-up at the mint, more than 1,000 years ago.
A hoard of more than Anglo Saxon 5,000 coins have been unearthed (pictured), including what may be a unique coin. The 5,248 coins were found by Paul Coleman on December 21 last year
No valuation has officially been placed on the coins, which have formerly been declared as treasure trove, but some experts believe they could be worth more than £1 million.
The 5,248 coins were found by metal detector enthusiast Paul Coleman on December 21 last year.
He almost decided not to dig the site when his metal detector beeped, believing he had come across a hidden manhole cover.
However, his persistence was rewarded when he found the silver pennies, which were buried in two sets, possibly up to 15 years apart, based upon the dates imprinted on them.
He told a treasure trove inquest in Beaconsfield: ‘I wasn’t going to go [hunting for treasure] but I was talked into
The hoard includes a uniquely-stamped coin which may be the results of a mix-up at the mint, more than 1,000 years ago. One showing an animal is pictured on the left, and another from the the reign of Ethelred the Unready in the 990s is pictured right