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Chinese archaeologists on Dec.24 unearthed an elevated drum supported by two legendary phoenixes standing atop two tigers in central China's Hubei Province.

The find was made in a tomb dating back more than 2,000 years which has been under intense excavation at Jiuliandun in Zaoyang City. Called the "No. 2" tomb, it is just one of nine considered to be from the Chu State during the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC), and the "No. 1" tomb is the only other one currently under excavation.


At the excavation site, Professor Li Youping with the Wuhan Conservatory of Music said the drum, with a height of one meter, is a typical musical instrument from Chu State and one of the largest ever excavated thus far in the country.

Li, who holds a doctorate in musical archaeology, said similar musical instruments have been excavated from other places outside Hubei province.

Apart from the elevated drum, archaeological workers have also unearthed a set of 11 bronze chimes from the No. 2 tomb and another three groups of 34 bronze chimes from the No. 1 tomb.

Bronze chimes, which are similar in shape but vary in size, are metal percussion instruments symbolizing status, rank, wealth and power in ancient China.

Other lesser musical instruments such as two "se ", or twenty-five-string plucked instruments, and "yu" pipes, another ancient Chinese music instrument, were also unearthed from the No. 2 tomb.

Owners of the two tombs are yet to be identified as no literary documents have been excavated thus far.