Archaeologists in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region have discovered a rich tomb dating back to the Tang Dynasty, estimated to be about 1,300 years old.
Among the most notable discoveries are unique, colorful murals depicting winged, spotted horses, as well as Byzantine and Persian coins, rare wooden furniture, and luxury artifacts. The study of a tomb called "Eastern Badam" has been listed among the most important archaeological discoveries in China, according to the online magazine Medievals.
Extensive excavations were carried out in the vicinity of Turpan Township, near the ancient city of Gaochang, from 2022 to 2025. Researchers examined a total of 27 tombs dating back to the Sixteen Kingdoms and Tang Dynasties periods, and unearthed more than 600 precious artifacts from Chinese material culture.
Tomb M20, dating back to the Tang Dynasty, attracted the most attention from specialists. Despite damage to the structure, researchers were able to extract the wooden coffin base and transport it to the laboratory. This artifact proved to be the most complete painted coffin bed ever found from the Tang Dynasty.
On twelve arched panels, ancient artists depicted winged mythical creatures, including lions, tigers, and horses. Two horses, one blue and the other green, particularly caught the attention of experts, their bodies covered in distinctive motifs. These figures, with their broad wings, thick manes, and flowing tails, were carved using mineral pigments such as azurite and malachite. Although depictions of winged horses appeared in Tang Dynasty art (as seen in the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang), this is the first time horses in this mottled style have been discovered.
In the same tomb, a rare collection of wooden furniture was found, including a sofa, a small table, a brush holder, an inkwell, and elements of a screen, a vivid embodiment of the funerary decor of the nobility at that time.
The Eastern Badam necropolis provided tangible evidence of the extensive international connections the region was developing. Byzantine coins, Sasanian silver dirhams, Turco-Eastern coins, and Chinese (Qian) coins were found in the tombs, including a very rare Kaiyuan Tongbao coin carved from solid jade.
Among the exquisite pieces are a three-handled vessel with a green glaze, combining Persian and Byzantine features; a copper mirror inlaid with gold and silver; a lacquered box; and a gilt silver alabaster flask for storing musk. All these discoveries underscore Turpan's importance as a major commercial and cultural hub on the Silk Road.
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