Photographs: 16 Tons of Treasure Discovered in the Tomb of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty's Son

A sarcophagus weighing 16 tons filled with treasures has been discovered in a tomb near the resting place of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, believed to belong to his son, Prince Gao. The Arkeonews portal reports that the sarcophagus, buried at a depth of 16 meters, contains weapons, armor, jade, pairs of gold and silver camels, a collection of kitchenware, and 6,000 bronze coins.

Experts believe that the burial could belong either to the emperor’s son, Prince Gao, or other descendants, or potentially a high-ranking warrior. The sarcophagus was found in the vicinity of the "Terracotta Army," a burial ground that holds at least 8,100 full-sized terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses, which accompany Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb.

The emperor is renowned for unifying various Chinese states, initiating the construction of the Great Wall of China, and implementing a standardized writing system. The main tomb and the statues are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List of cultural heritage sites.