Bewaffnete Chinesischen paramilitärischen Polizisten Wache am Eingang der Ausgrabungsstätte des Cao Cao Grab in Xigaoxue Dorf stand, Anyang County, Anyang
Armed Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard at the entrance to the excavation site of the Cao Cao tomb in Xigaoxue village, Anyang county, Anyang city, central Chinas Henan province, 12 June 2010. Chinese archaeologists were on Saturday (12 June 2010) still puzzling over the mysteries revealed in a live television broadcast of the excavation of an ancient generals tomb. The three-hour live broadcast by the China Central Television (CCTV) began at 9 am with experts invited to respond to doubts on the controversial claim that the site was the Mausoleum of General Cao Cao, a legendary warlord of the Three Kingdoms period (AD 208-280). The archaeological society and amateurs had cast doubt on the claim before the State Administration of Cultural Heritage late Friday declared the find was one of the 10 top archaeological findings in China in 2009. The announcement indicates that the Chinese academic world has generally endorsed the authenticity of the tomb of Cao Cao in Anyang, although there are still many myths behind the legendary figure, said Sun Yingmin, Deputy Director of the Henan Provincial Bureau of Cultural Heritage. The tomb is located near the Yellow River and in Xigaoxue village, Anyang, where Cao Cao ruled the Kingdom of Wei from AD 208 to 220, when he died at the age of 65. The Henan Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau announced the discovery of the tomb in December 2009, triggering nationwide interest in the ancient statesman, whose exploits were immortalized in the 14th Century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, regarded as one of Chinas greatest literary works. The excavation undertaken by the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage has uncovered the layout of the mausoleum. The square-shaped mausoleum comprises two pits covering 8, 934 square meters. The No.2 pit has been identified as the coffin chamber of the tomb master, where a male skull, two female skulls and more than 250 relics have been unearthed.
