Blue Monster, Naked Deity and More: Scientists Unearth Ancient Tomb With Mysterious Murals in China

One could only imagine what the fascinating images that filled the newly discovered 1,400-year-old tomb in China. The strange pictures included a blue monster, a naked deity and a winged horse, and scientists are still wondering what it all means.

According to a report from Live Science, the archaeologists revealed that the motifs and the connotations found were unique to this tomb. They're not seen in other tombs, even in the ones from the same period.

This particular tomb was first discovered back in 2013 in what is now the city of Xinzhou. A team from Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology excavated the tomb in 2013 and 2014, finding it heavily looted. There are certain parts like a passageway and corridor that weren't looted at all. Fortunately, the strange murals were preserved very well and untouched.

Most of the images inside the tomb still baffle scientists. The nude deity was identified as the master of wind, but -- if they know what it means -- the archaeologists did not share the reason behind the portrayal of the deity running naked in the direction of a burial chamber. The eye-catching blue-skinned creature remains a mystery as well.

There are more normal scenes depicted on the mural like people hunting, working and trading. These offer more details on life in ancient China.

The findings were published in the journal Chinese Archaeology.

Tomb looting is a big problem in China, and archaeologists are in a constant race to beat looters to important archaeological sites. Fortunately, researchers have still managed to uncover incredible artifacts in the country.

Recently, scientists also discovered small wooden figures standing over very small looms in Chengdu city, according to a report from Seeker. It's believed to be the earliest pattern looms in the world. Then last year, a board game was found with a dead body in the city of Qingzhou.