Archaeologists discover an ancient Chinese tomb filled with riches — and maybe even an emperor

Chinese Emperor Liu He may have only ruled for 27 days, but a recent archaeological discovery suggests he might still have received a lavish burial. Archaeologists have unearthed an ancient Han Dynasty tomb in China's Jiangxi province that contains eight tombs and a chariot burial site — and they believe one of those tombs may belong to the emperor.

The tomb stretches 40,000 square meters and is filled with treasure. So far, archaeologists have discovered 10 tons of Wuzhu bronze coins, musical instruments, five chariots, sacrificed horses, as well as "more than 10,000 other gold, bronze and iron items, wooden tablets bamboo slips, and jade articles," Ancient Origins says.

The next phase of work for the archaeologists will be excavating the coffin in the tomb's central mausoleum. "There may be a royal seal and jade clothes that will suggest the status and identity of the tomb's occupant," Xin Lixiang of the China National Museum, who is heading the site, said.

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Right now, archaeologists are expecting to discover that the tomb belongs to Liu He, the grandson of Emperor Wu, who is described as the "greatest ruler of Han Dynasty," one of China's most prosperous periods. While Liu's grandfather was a great ruler, Liu He was not. He was dethroned as emperor after only 27 days in power because of a lack of talent and a penchant for indulgence.