Mysterious circles discovered in mausoleum

时间：2006-12-22 05:17:16

（单词翻译:单击）


 
Chinanews, Xi'an, Dec. 20 – Archeologists recently found a dozen large circular-shaped relics2 in the southern part of the Qianling Mausoleum area, with the largest one measuring 110 meters in diameter. The new discovery makes the unexcavated tomb appear even more mysterious, the Xi'an Evening News reported.

 

Qianling Mausoleum, the resting place for Wu Zetian, China's only empress in history, and her husband Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (618-709), is a world-renowned historical site for its grand scale and countless3 underground relics.

 

It was from the aerial photographs taken of the tomb, that the investigation4 team, which consisted of experts from the Xi'an Cultural Relics Preservation5 Center and Qianling Mausoleum Museum, discovered those giant round relics. The first to catch their attention was the one with the largest diameter.

 

“We recognized the faintly discernible rings from the pictures we took. At first, we thought they might be halations. On a closer look, however, we found they were not,” said Qin Jianming, a researcher at the Xi'an Cultural Relics Preservation Center.

 

The largest ring has a diameter of about 110 meters and measures three meters wide, lying between relatively6 level farmlands and it displays a dark color, making it easily seen from the farmland nearby. One part of the ring in the southwest, about one-fourth of the total length, can not be seen clearly. But apart from that, most of the ring is clearly shown in the picture. At one part, the ring is disconnected by a road crossing by. Compared with the early aerial pictures they took, experts conclude that the circular ring is a historic relic1, said Qin while showing the pictures to reporters. The pictures were re-made by visual experts from the Computer Engineering Image Department at the Northwestern Polytechnic7 University.

 

Based on their experiences, Qin said the circular rings might be ditches dug by human beings, which, with the passage of time, were buried deep underground.

 

So far, experts have focused their investigation to the largest circular ring.

 

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1 relic 4V2xd     
n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物
参考例句：
  • This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。
  • He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。
2 relics UkMzSr     
[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸
参考例句：
  • The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。
  • Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。
3 countless 7vqz9L     
adj.无数的，多得不计其数的
参考例句：
  • In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
  • I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。
4 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查，调查研究
参考例句：
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
5 preservation glnzYU     
n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持
参考例句：
  • The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
  • The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。
6 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地，相对地
参考例句：
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
7 polytechnic g1vzw     
adj.各种工艺的，综合技术的；n.工艺(专科)学校；理工(专科)学校
参考例句：
  • She was trained as a teacher at Manchester Polytechnic.她在曼彻斯特工艺专科学校就读，准备毕业后做老师。
  • When he was 17,Einstein entered the Polytechnic Zurich,Switzerland,where he studied mathematics and physics.17岁时，爱因斯坦进入了瑞士苏黎士的专科学院，学习数学和物理学。

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