Archeologists of Far Eastern University discover Jurchen medieval burial ground in south of Primorye region
VLADIVOSTOK. June 30 (Interfax) - Archeologists from the Far Eastern Federal University have discovered a unique Jurchen burial ground in Shkotovo district in the south of Primorye territory, the university press service reported on Friday.
Scientists believe that the find dates back to the time of the Jin Empire. Twenty-seven graves were discovered at the excavation site. It is the first time that such a burial ground has been discovered in the area.
"The find dates back to the 12th-13th centuries. The interesting artifacts include fragments of several clay pots with an unusual ornament, decorative roof tiles, hunting and armor-piercing arrow-heads, Chinese coins stamped between 1102 and 1106. After processing, all of them will supplement the fundamental collection of the university museum," the report says.
Head of the section of archeology and ethnography of the Scientific Museum of the University Yevgeny Nikitin specified that the discovered ceramics are of high, imperial quality from the golden age of the Great Jin Empire.
"A curious fragment of glazed pottery was discovered which was an indisputably very precious commodity in those days. Such items were not produced in the Primorye region but were delivered from South China," he said.
Scientists believe that the discovered artifacts indicate that it is a burial of people of high standing, not just laymen.
The expedition involves 60 people. Excavations are being conducted over a territory exceeding 5,000 square meters. Specialists say that the medieval cultural layer lies close to surface and has badly damaged by farming operations. So far only the tip of the "archeological iceberg" has been uncovered but scientists plan to dig on to the very "mainland" - to the layer without any traces of human presence.
Work at the medieval site will continue for one more month.
The Jurchen were an ancient people that inhabited the entirety of Manchuria, the southern part of the Russian Far East, the northern part of the Korean peninsula and most of North China at the height of the Jin Empire. Their existence dates to the 10th-13th centuries when Chinese constituted 87% of the population, the Jurchen - 10% and other ethnic groups - only 3%. The Jurchen partly adopted the culture of the Chinese they conquered, founded big cities where luxurious palaces and temples were built. Their cities became centers of handicrafts, trade and culture.
