MK socks Husita site Photo: CCTV News" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-01-19/0c098729-dde6-409a-96b5-e1c0480c6ee6.jpeg" />

The Husita site Photo: CCTV News

Chinese archaeologists have recently discovered a large and uniquely structured cemetery dating back to 2800BC-2600BC about two kilometers southeast of the Husita site in Northwest China's ­Xinjiang Uygur ­Autonomous Region. 

Among the unearthed findings is a tin-bronze knife, one of the oldest bronze artifacts discovered in China as well as one of the oldest tin-bronze artifacts found on the Eurasian steppe, state broadcaster CCTV reported.  

Located in the southeastern part of the Husita site, ­approximately two kilometers from its core area, the new burial ground features an ­unusual large-scale ­cemetery dating back to 2800BC-2600BC. 

Among the newly discovered graves was Tomb 1, or Z1, a rectangular stone-enclosed burial mound measuring 23 meters by 25 meters, with a height of about 1.2 meters. This tomb, oriented southwest, is the earliest Bronze Age structure uncovered in ­Xinjiang to date. 

"While similar tombs from the same era have been found in surrounding areas, the unique design of Z1 marks it as a breakthrough in Xinjiang's Bronze Age archaeology," Jia Xiaobing, director of the world archaeological research office at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The archaeologists revealed that square stone-enclosed tombs from the Middle Bronze Age (2600BC-1800BC) were traditionally concentrated in the Altai Mountains and ­surrounding areas, while square stone-enclosed tombs from the Late Bronze Age (1800BC-1000BC) were primarily found in the Altai Mountains and the western Tianshan region.

The discovery of the Z1 tomb extends the distribution of this tomb style to the early Bronze Age in the western Tianshan Mountains, offering new clues about the cultural landscape of this critical area, Jia said.

Moreover, Jia noted that the burial customs, artifacts, and genetic materials recovered from the tomb provide further evidence of cultural exchanges. 

The grave shows a mix of influences from the Altai Mountains to the west and the more distinct characteristics of the regions to the east. 

This suggests a complex, intertwined cultural network might have played a key role in the development of early Eurasian metallurgy.

In addition to the knife, the excavation also yielded pottery, wooden artifacts, stone scepters, bone arrowheads, and an array of personal ornaments such as earrings, beads, and pendants. 

According to Jia, the Husita site, located about 40 kilometers northeast of Wenquan county in Xinjiang at the foot of the Alatau Mountains, served as a crucial passage for cultural exchange between the East and West.

The core area of the site is comprised of a large stone building complex, surrounding auxiliary structures, and a protective wall. 

The large stone building complex covers over 5,000 square meters, making it the largest known architectural complex from the Bronze Age in the northern Tianshan Mountains.

Artifacts previously unearthed from the site include two complete horse heads, providing physical evidence to address questions regarding the origins of the domesticated horse in China. 

Additionally, 16 copper sets were uncovered, primarily weapons, tools, and ornaments. 

Analysis shows that 10 of these copper items are made of tin bronze, with a relatively uniform tin content and only trace amounts of elements such as arsenic and zinc, indicating that the alloying techniques used for these copper items were already highly developed and advanced.

Human bone samples unearthed from the cemetery indicate most results fall within the range of 1682BC to 1431BC, which aligns with the typology of pottery found at the site.