A jade ritual article from the Jiwanggu Tombs in Yishui,Shandong province.Photo Provided to China Daily

3. Jiwanggu Tombs of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), Yishui, Shandong province

Top 10 China archeological discoveries for 2013

Handicraftsman shows skill of lacquer thread sculpture

The tomb is located in a mountainous area with a unique landscape. The bigger of the two pits is 40 meters long and 13 meters wide.

The relics are distinctive among the tombs from similar periods of time due to their unusual structure: The coffin chamber and pits burying sacrificial horses and carriages are in the same cave on a slope.

Nearly 200 cultural relics were unearthed, including bronze ware, jewels, jade, and four carriages, each with two horses.

"This high-level tomb is among the biggest archaeological discoveries in Shandong province in recent years," says Hao Daohua, a researcher from the Shandong Provincial Institute of Archaeology.

"What amazes us most is its burial shape, which has never seen before and will help unveil the truth behind some historical legends surrounding the area."