Chinese archaeologists have discovered skeletons of various animals, including giant pandas and a Malayan tapir, in one of the tombs in Emperor Wang Jian’s necropolis.

Animal remains date back to the 2nd century BC, meaning the animals lived more than 2,000 years ago. The animals were reportedly sacrificed during the burial and buried not far from the emperor.

Finding the remains of a tapir suggests that an animal that disappeared from this area may have lived here 2,000 years ago. The remains found belong to a Malayan tapir. The largest individuals of this species reach two and a half meters in length and can weigh up to 300 kilograms. The find confirms data from written sources and manuscripts of the period in which tapirs are depicted or mentioned.

Remains of gaurs (a subspecies of bison), tigers, green peacocks, yaks, and golden snub-nosed monkeys were also found. Earlier we wrote about why scientists did not dare to open the tomb of the first emperor of China.

The presence of a large number of sacrificial animals indicates their role in the burial. According to the researchers, they reflected the social status of those buried. It was assumed that sacrificial animals would create the usual conditions for those buried in the afterlife. In those days, many pandas and other animals were traditionally housed in imperial gardens.

“The location of shrines that mimic the living spaces embodies the traditional burial belief that the dead should be served as if they were alive,” the researchers write.