Wood identification and properties analysis of the coffin timbers taken from Lizhouao ancient tomb in Jiang'an county of Jiangxi

PAN Biao1,ZHAI Shengcheng2,FAN Changsheng3(1.College of Wood Science and Technology,Nanjing Forestry University,Nanjing 210037,China;2.Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere,Kyoto University,Uji City 6110011,Japan;3.Archeological Research Institute of Jiangxi,Nanchang 330025,China)

coffins;wood identification;archeological wood;Cunninghamia lanceolata;Phoebe sp.

Lizhouao ancient tomb in Jing'an county of Jiangxi is one of China's top ten archaeological discoveries of 2007.The tomb was built at middle to late of the Spring and Autumn Period.Many wooden relics have been excavated from this tomb,including 47 coffins.86 wet-wooden samples were collected from this tomb.All coffin woods were identified as Chinese fir(Cunninghamia lanceolata),except coffin G44 which was phoebe(Phoebe sp.).The physical and mechanical properties show that excavated Chinese fir has similar density with modern wood of Chinese fir;the MOR and MOE is 65% of modern wood.The degradation of excavated wood is relative low,which is related with the buried condition.The degradation might be effected by the pH of soil and hydration,other than fungi and bacteria.This research can support to further conservation and protection of cultural relics.