The equine bones, found in the Chinese city of Luoyang, have remained undisturbed since the early Western Zhou dynasty.
Archaeologists believe the 12 horses lying on their sides show the animals were slaughtered before burial, not buried alive.
As well as the horses and five chariots, bronzes and ceramics have escaped the clutches of history’s grave robbers.
Archaeologists are convinced that the perfectly preserved tomb belongs to an official or a scholar of standing, given the pottery, metal weaponry and inscriptions.
The tomb, a vertical earthen pit, has excited historians since it was discovered during the construction of a hospital.
It gives an unprecedented insight into the funeral customs in the early Western Zhou dynasty.
It was the time of the great Chinese philosophers of ancient times, including Confucius.
The latest find is reminiscent of the famous terracotta army of thousands of preserved soldiers, which was discovered in 1974 in the Lintong district.
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