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GUYUAN, Ningxia, Nov. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- A tiny
vase-shaped glass and a jade dragon-shaped pendant, dating back to the Han
Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), have been excavated in northwest China's Ningxia
Hui Autonomous Region.
This was the first time that such
kinds of relics had ever beenfound in the Han tombs in Ningxia and they were
rarely found in other places of China, said archaeologists with the regional
archaeological research institute.
Local archaeologists have been excavating a New Stone
Age site,two tombs of the Han Dynasty and 12 medium and small-sized tombs of the
Tang Dynasty (618-907) since early November this year. Theyhave unearthed large
quantities of pottery, bronze and lacquer items, terra-cotta warriors and other
relics.
The glass vase and the jade pendant were excavated
from one of the Han tombs, located on Jiulong Mountain in the southern suburbsof
Guyuan City.
The light blue glass vase is only one centimeter
high, with a one centimeter diameter at its center. The grayish white jade
dragon is almost round in shape, with the "dragon tail" turning up.
Archaeologists guessed that the items could be
trappings or ornaments used to decorate utensils.
Many tombs of the Han Dynasty have been excavated in
Ningxia inrecent years, but funeral objects unearthed from the tombs were mostly
bronze mirrors, pans, washbasins, censers, and lacquer ware.
Yu Jun, a research fellow with the regional
archaeological research institute, said the glass and jade ware showed the tomb
owner enjoyed a higher social status.
The glass and jade relics are not only of significant
archaeological value, but also of high artistic value, Yu said.
From the tomb where they were found, archaeologists
also discovered a special hair clasp made with six thin bones, the first such
hair clasp unearthed from Han tombs in Ningxia.
Hair clasps were ornaments ancient Chinese women used
to tie uptheir hair and were often discovered in ancient tombs. But most hair
clasps are U-shaped or small and straight. Enditem | 
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