Master Archaeologist

Chapter 235
Where does the fragrance come from?

The most likely explanation is that a large amount of precious fragrant wood was used in the construction of this tomb.

And because the tomb has been in an anaerobic state since it was backfilled, and there has been groundwater backflow for a long time, the building materials of this tomb have always been in a stable state that is relatively difficult to react.

And when the archaeological team arrived, they dug out the fill and destroyed the anaerobic environment, and the precious wood used to build the tomb began to emit their fragrance 2000 years later.

After all, when encountering oxygen, the wood will naturally start to function, releasing the fragrance of the wood body.

This fragrance can indeed be said to be 2000 years late.

Originally, it should have volatilized almost in the few years after the tomb was sealed, and then the wood would enter a state of decay and decay, giving off the smell of rotten wood.

"This shows that the preservation of this tomb is very good!"

Smelling this peculiar fragrance, not only were everyone not afraid, but even more excited!

They are all atheists who understand science, so naturally they will not associate this strange fragrance with mysticism.

After thinking about it for a while, everyone will understand!

This is a good thing!
Only when the tombs are kept in an anaerobic condition, is it possible for the wood used to build the tombs to emit fragrance after being exposed to oxygen for more than 2000 years!

Of course, it is not ruled out that these scents may come from other things, not necessarily from the wood used to build the tomb.

But what is the truth, you can only know after entering the tomb!
"Let's clean up the corridor and the two side rooms on the left and right of the corridor first!"

Wen Yuangen set the tone, and soon construction machinery was called in, and began to dismantle the corridor at the front of the tomb and the wooden ceiling boards on the left and right chambers.

Ancient people did not use nails to build tombs.

In fact, these roof panels are just laid directly on the roof of the tomb with wooden boards, so it is very easy to remove them.

Several cranes turned over and quickly removed part of the roof plank at the front of the tomb.

The conditions of the corridor and the two storage rooms on the left and right are also displayed in front of the eyes of archaeologists.

"It turned out to be a carriage and horse garage!"

I saw that there were many puppet chariots standing silently in the left and right side rooms, telling the magnificent scene of the nobles traveling in the Western Han Dynasty.

The even car can be understood as a miniature version of the chariot and horse figure, but it is actually a model.

Generally, in most of the tombs of the Han Dynasty, the unearthed chariots and horses are all such puppet chariots, some are made of pottery, and some are made of wood.

In fact, it is a special artifact for the tomb owner to travel after death.

In terms of style, it is a complete replica of the carriage used by the tomb owner during his lifetime, but the size has been reduced a lot.

In addition to a few puppet chariots, beside the puppet chariots, there are many accompanying figurines, that is, the servants and guards driving the carriage, all of which are pottery figurines.

In the Western Han Dynasty, the cost of pottery figurines was also specified. If it was not a special gift from the emperor, generally only nobles above the ranks of princes could use pottery figurines to be buried with them.

The terracotta warriors and horses are even more special. They can only be used if they are bestowed by the emperor.

Not all the tombs of princes and kings can find terracotta warriors and horses.

But there are indeed princes and kings of the Han Dynasty who can use terracotta warriors.

For example, the famous Liang Xiaowang Liu Wu.

As the grandson of Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, the son of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty Liu Heng, and the younger brother of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty Liu Qi.

He has an extremely prominent status, living in a rich place in the world, and he once made great efforts in the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion, resisting the invasion of princes in Liang Guo.

Therefore, he "was given the banner of the Son of Heaven, riding thousands of rides."

His political status and economic foundation, as well as the honor of having made military exploits, determined that Liu Wu could be buried with the terracotta warriors and horses after his death.

In his tomb of King Liang, according to the investigation of archaeologists, there is a pit of terracotta warriors and horses.

However, because the pit of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses is covered by a large area of ​​village buildings or roads or woods or farmland, it is not suitable for large-scale excavation, so it was not dug out.

However, thousands of painted terracotta warriors and horses were unearthed in the tomb of the king of Chu in Lion Mountain, mainly infantry warriors and many horsemen.

This shows that the princes and kings of the Han Dynasty could be buried with terracotta warriors and horses under special circumstances.

After all, this thing was buried in the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang back then, so it has special significance.

None of the imperial tombs of the Western Han Dynasty have been excavated so far.

So it is not clear whether there are terracotta warriors and horses buried in the imperial mausoleum.

However, it has been determined that some special princes and kings can be buried with the terracotta warriors and horses.

But at the level of Liehou, the terracotta warriors and horses, which symbolize the power of conquest, cannot be buried with them.

Liehou can only be buried with ordinary pottery figurines, such as figurines of servants and maids.

Why, what do you mean you have to lead soldiers underground after you die?

The princes and kings brought some soldiers, which was regarded as the king's guard, and the princes and kings had the right to control the soldiers and horses of the country in the early Han Dynasty.

Liehou had no right to command the army when he was not appointed as the general of the expedition!
Make do with some figurines of servants.

"Hey, the ones on the corridor are the Ollie Cars!" Chen Han pointed to the two Idol Cars in the middle of the corridor with some uncertainty.

These two even cars are different from those in the left and right garages.

Although it has been covered by silt, he still saw the bronze cymbal from one of them, and the Jiangu from the other!
This is undoubtedly in line with the specifications of the happy car equipped by the princes and emperors when traveling in the historical materials of the Han Dynasty!

There are clear records about pre-Qin music carts in the literature, which consisted of three musical instruments, the 錞yu, 铙, and Jiangu, which were combined to form a music cart group.

Regarding the travel formation and system of the princes and princes in the Western Han Dynasty, some things are missing now.

Because the Han Dynasty was originally established in the era after the collapse of ritual and music.

After the collapse of rituals and music in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, when the Western Han Dynasty was established, there were not many people in the world who understood the ritual and music culture and system of the Zhou Dynasty.

Moreover, among the rulers of the early Western Han Dynasty, the number of mud legs accounted for the majority.

This led to the fact that in the first half of the Western Han Dynasty, there was basically no ritual and music system.

Including what the emperor should wear, what ceremonial guards should be worn when traveling, what etiquette the general should use when returning from victory, etc., are all blank.

In the entire Han Dynasty, there was only one set of etiquette system for court rituals.

It was not until the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty began to ponder the idea of ​​restoring the ritual system, re-enacted the calendar, and formulated etiquette.

Five Virtues only starts to really set the tone by talking the whole time.

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the etiquette system of the nobles in the Han Dynasty gradually began to recover its prototype.

Specific to the system and etiquette of noble travel, there are also requirements.

However, what kind of ceremonial guards are specific, the modern age no longer knows.

The unearthing of these even cars and even music cars is very important!
These two Han Dynasty music carts were discovered for the first time in archaeological history, and they outline a travel map of the Western Han Dynasty!

In the ancient battlefield, "the drums are beaten to march, and the gold is called to withdraw the troops". Is it true that the princes travel like this?
That's for sure now.

The even music car found in the corridor shows that there were music cars in front of the trains in the Western Han Dynasty.

When Haihunhou was alive, the convoy would move forward when the drums sounded, and the convoy would stop once the bronze cymbals sounded gold.

The puppet chariots and horses and figurines of honor guards unearthed in these corridors and the East-West carriages and horses have made a new interpretation of the carriage and travel system of the Western Han Dynasty!

(End of this chapter)