BEIJING, June 14 -- Four bodies found in two ancient tombs unearthed at a construction site in Jiading District are probably the relatives of Li Liufang, a famous artist during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), archaeologists said yesterday.

    Each of the two tombs held the bodies of a husband and wife in separate coffins, according to archaeologists.

    Based on the Chinese characters inscribed in stonework with the older of the two tombs, the man inside was probably Li's uncle, officials investigating the tombs said yesterday. They say he died more than 400 years ago and was about 50 years old when he passed away.

    The second tomb was clearly made after the first one, and probably contains the body of Li Xianfang, the son of the couple in the first tomb.

    Li Xianfang was the cousin of Li Liufang, who was a famous for his painting and calligraphy.

    Based on stone tigers found in the second tomb, as well as the clothing on the man's body, archaeologists believe he was a government official of the third rank during the Ming Dynasty.

    "An official of the first rank in the Ming Dynasty should be buried with a stone man, horse, tiger and goat," said He Jiying, an expert with the archaeological department of the Shanghai Cultural Relics Management Commission.

    "Clothes with a peacock pattern were a special design for officials of the third rank," she said.

    Some of the artifacts inside the tomb, including a gold ring, bronze mirror, hairpins and belts, will be kept for further authentication by the Shanghai Cultural Relics Management Commission.

    "The ancient tombs are of important value, because old tombs, especially couple tombs, are rarely discovered in Jiading District," said Jiang Hanhong, an official with the district's archaeological department.

    The excavation finished on Tuesday after no other tombs were found near the site, and construction on a residential building where the tombs were unearthed will restart this week.

    According to customs, the tombs should be reburied at the same site after excavation, but they might be moved as the developer doesn't want to build a residential building over a burial site.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)