Archaeologists have unearthed the 1,300-year-old tomb of one of ancient China's most powerful women.
The entrance to the 36-metre-long tomb near Xianyang airport However, the tomb of Shangguan Wan'er, which was discovered near an airport in Xianyang in China's northeastern Shaanxi province, was empty of a coffin or any relics.
It was around 36 metres long and 10 metres deep and contained skylights, a corridor and several vaults.
Archaeologists dug down more than 10 metres to uncover the tomb A carved epitaph inside the tomb described in detail Shangguan's family background and achievements.
Archaeologists believe the rest of the chamber's contents were lost during co-ordinated, intentional "tomb destroying", according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Shangguan Wan'er was one of the Tang dynasty's most powerful women Shangguan, who lived between 664 and 710, was a close aide of Wu Zetian, the country's only female empress.
She is celebrated in Chinese literature and poetry and is commonly referred to as a prime minister, such was her standing within the Tang dynasty.
Three skylights were among the tomb's most distinctive features Yu Gengzhe, a professor of history and humanities at Shaanxi Normal University, said: "Shangguan Wan'er's life had two key characteristics.
"One is that she was highly talented, her poetry and writings were widely respected.
Archaeologists found bricks but no coffin or any ancient relics "The other is that she was powerful. She was a confidential secretary of Wu Zetian and because of this, whatever the empress did had great influence upon her.
"After Zetian, there were a large number of women who yearned for power. Shangguan Wan'er was one of them."
Experts believe the contents of the tomb were deliberately destroyed The rapid urbanisation of China in recent decades has revealed countless new artefacts and tombs.
Previous discoveries have included a fossilised mammoth's skull, paved surfaces dating back 200,000 years and the vast Liuzhuang ruins in Henan province, where hundreds of tombs have been excavated.
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