Archaeologists discovered a double burial in an ancient cemetery unearthed at a construction site in Datong, Shanxi Province, China. During an excavation held in 2020, they discovered two skeletons hugging each other at a grave site - one of the skeletons even wore a silver ring.
The skeletons were identified as a man and a woman in an eternal embrace. “This discovery is a unique display of human emotion of love in a burial, offering a rare glimpse people's views towards love, life, death, and afterlife in northern China during a time of intense cultural and ethnic exchange,” said Quanchao Zhang of the Institute of Anthropology at Xiamen University in a study detailing the findings.
The researchers noted that the couple likely lived during the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534) which was a politically turbulent time. The discovery is a remarkable display that love can surpass many troubles, and perhaps, even death.
Image: International Journal of Osteoarchaeology
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Trauma signs on the lovers' skeletons: a) unhealed ulnar fracture and missing part of the fourth finger on the right hand of the male skeleton, b) osteophytosis or bone spur in the distal end of the legs of the male, c) tooth loss in the female skeleton.