CHANGSHA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- A batch of ancient tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) was discovered along an expressway in central China's Hunan Province, the provincial institute of archaeology said Sunday.

After finding bricks from tombs belonging to the Eastern Han Dynasty during a months-long excavation that started in May and lasted until September, researchers speculated the existence of a large tomb complex near the Lianhua Expressway in Xiangtan County.

Earlier, researchers unearthed ruins of a cultural relic near the expressway and discovered a batch of pit tombs in the northwest side of the tomb complex.

The discovery offers new evidence for the study of the centuries-old funeral culture of the Han Dynasty and the living standards of ancient people, said Li Yiyuan, an associate researcher with the institute.