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Ancient tombs plundered in N.China

By Quan Li
Updated: 2010-08-04 16:58

Dozens of tombs more than a thousand years old have been robbed since 2008 after being appraised cultural relics of North China's Hebei province, the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily reported Wednesday.

The tombs lie on an earthen platform in a small town named Tianchang town of Jingxing county in Hebei province. Robbery of them becomes more serious after corn in the surrounding farmlands grew taller.

After plundering, the robbers would refill holes dug into the tombs to cover evidence of their crime, said an official surnamed Du from the local cultural relics administration. There are dozens of holes and many of the graves have been dug into more than once, he said.

The tombs were found in 2004. Since then, 198 pieces of treasure made of bronze, iron, pottery and porcelain from the Tang, Song, and Jin dynasties have been discovered.