The Mausoleum of the Kings of the Principality of Nanyue is one of the oldest tombs of the royal dynasty of the same name. Located on North Jiefang Street in Guangzhou, this museum displays more than a thousand historical and cultural relics.
The main exhibit in the gallery is the first golden seal of the emperors of the Western Han Dynasty, the longest-lasting dynasty in the history of ancient China. The seal belonged to Prince Wendi, and thanks to it scientists were able to identify the name of the owner. The kingdom itself was formed after the decline of the Qin dynasty, and about a hundred years remained independent. But in 111 BC, Emperor Wu-di annexed Nanyue to the Han Empire. This largely explains the fact that it is the second generation of Nanyue kings who are buried in the mausoleum, serving the Han dynasty.
Among the buried rulers there is another celebrity - Zhao Mei, the second king of Nanyue. In his tomb, archaeologists discovered the remains of 15 court servants who had apparently taken poison to be buried next to their king. This was a common occurrence for ancient China.
Although the search for the royal burial site had been going on for centuries, the mausoleum was discovered by accident: in 1983, when construction work began on the site, workers came across the tomb 20 metres underground.
The mausoleum is about 2,100 years old, which is not the case on the outside. It has been restored and even supplemented with elements of modern design. In particular, at the entrance and on the roofs of the building you can see glass pyramids on the example of the Louvre in Paris. The tomb itself is designed in the style of an imperial palace.
The museum houses many artefacts of history, including terracotta figures, various vessels made of precious metals, and various musical instruments. A separate exposition is reserved for ancient furnaces. The most valuable exhibits of the museum are jewellery made of gold and jade. The jade collection is unique for the Han Dynasty.
