The excavation of the Tang tombs of Dai Zhou and his wife in Chang’an District, Xi’an

Abstract The tombs of Dai Zhou and his wife, née Wan, were discovered and excavated in 2014 in Chang’an District, Xi’an. Dai Zhou served as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue during the reign of Taizong in the Tang dynasty. Both tombs, placed side by side from east to west in the same cemetery, are shaft tombs with a long sloping ramp, multiple ventilation shafts, and a single rectangular chamber. Over 100 artifacts were unearthed. Well-preserved murals, depicting sword-bearing guardian warriors, servants, and musicians, were found in Dai Zhou’s tomb. The epitaphs from these tombs provide new insights into the late Sui and early Tang history.