TAIYUAN, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese archaeologists have unearthed three wooden tomb guardian figures dating back around 1,500 years in north China's Shanxi Province.

The figures, rare for their wooden material, were found among the grave goods in a tomb from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), according to Datong Institute of Archaeology in the province.

The items include two human figures, which are 54 cm and 60 cm tall respectively, and one monster figure, which is 48 cm long and 30 cm tall. All the figures are painted in red and black.

The tomb discovery is expected to enhance the understanding of the ethnic integration and funeral systems of migrants in the Northern Wei Dynasty, according to Hou Xiaogang, deputy head of the Datong Institute of Archaeology.

"Usually, tomb owners at that time used paintings, stone or pottery figures as tomb guardians; the wooden figures are a rare discovery," said Hou, adding that the material used may be related to the funeral tradition of the owner's family. Enditem