In northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a plot to rob royal tombs dating back more than two centuries has been uncovered. The tombs are part of a cluster that belongs to ancestors of famed Qin Dynasty emperor Qin Shi Huang.
While local police are relieved to discover none of the treasures were stolen, further questions have been raised on how the robbers managed to dodge security and find the exact location of the tombs.
It's this tiny hole that first caught archeologists' attention. Jing Hongwei, curator of Royal Tomb Museum in Baoji City, said, "The hole has been filled in now. But it's where the robbers sent down their detectors to find exactly where the tomb was located."
Museum staff and local police soon sealed the area. Teams were sent down to examine the losses and found something even more stunning, and at the same time a big relief.
A 19-meter-deep hole had been dug, leading straight to the main vault. Fortunately, a solid cedar wood structure surrounding the tomb had protected the treasures from being stolen.
Luo Xizhe, security director of Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Bureau, said, "Look at this piece of wood. It's still in such good shape after more than 25 hundred years. The tomb must belong to a royal family."
In addition to the wooden structure that protected the tomb, it could also have been lucky timing that kept the treasures underground. Luo Xizhe said, "It's common practice for the robbers to keep away from the scene for days after digging the holes. They would usually bring buyers to the site to show them the treasures are authentic before stealing them."
A tidy hole and no clues left behind - local police say it all suggests the raiders are highly professional. Ma Juncheng, police officer of Fengxiang county, Shaanxi province, said, "It can't have been done by any sort of tomb raiders. The scene was very clean. They must have a lot of experience and know how to counter our investigation."
Experts also estimate it must have taken months for the raiders to search the area before entering the cemetery. It is a big relief the treasures are safe. However, questions remain if relic protection measures are enough to prevent other treasures from being stolen.
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