Scientists Discover 2000-Year-Old Tomb of an Elite Woman Buried With Donkeys, First Evidence of Donkey Polo

In 2020, researchers published evidence that implied that people in ancient China played donkey polo. This proof was uncovered in a 2,000-year-old tomb located at Xi’an in 2012 and possibly belonging to an elite woman named, Cui Shi, Live Science stated. At the time of discovery, most of the tomb's contents had been ransacked by looters, the only thing they left behind was animal bones that were seemingly buried with the woman. The animal remains were not valuable to the looters, but to experts, it was proof of a popular game being practiced in Imperial China. Findings regarding the donkey remains collected from the tomb were published in Antiquity.

Cui Shi the woman to whom this tomb was attributed, has been identified as a Tang Dynasty noblewoman by experts. She took her last breath in 878 A.D. and appeared to have loved donkeys so much that her grave contains the remains of at least three of them. As per the study, these animals enabled her to enjoy the game of polo without encountering the dangers that came with using horses for this sport. This possibly was the reason for her affection towards these animals and her request for being laid to rest with them.

The animal remains in the grave went through the process of radiocarbon dating. The examination confirmed that the animal bones were buried right around the death of the noblewoman. Further analysis of the donkey bones unveiled that the donkeys in the grave were used to sprinting and turning in their daily routine – moves required while playing polo. The size of the donkeys was also small, making them perfect for use in polo. Both features are less likely to be found in animals that were used to carrying loads in their lifetimes. "This context provides evidence the donkeys in her tomb were for polo, not transport," lead author Songmei Hu of the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology shared, as per Smithsonian Magazine.

The donkey remains uncovered in the tomb are the first physical evidence of donkey polo that has been discovered in imperial China. Prior to this finding mention of this sport could only be traced within historical texts.

The evidence also showcased how elites subverted societal hierarchy to enjoy their hobbies. "Donkeys … are not associated with high-status people," stated study author, Fiona Marshall, an archaeologist at Washington University in St. Louis. "They were animals used by ordinary folk." Despite that Cui Shi used them to play the sport. The decision could have been taken after witnessing her husband, a high-ranking general, Bao Gao, lose an eye while riding on a horse during polo.

Not only Cui Shi, but the whole group of nobles reportedly had taken to this method. Seeing the deadly risks associated with using swift horses during the game, they created a polo-variant called Lvju. All the rules in this variant were the same except for the primary animal. Lvju was played alongside typical polo in the imperial empire but was never reflected in the artifacts of the time. It could be because the elites did not want any proof out there of their association with a common animal.

Cui Shi though refused to adhere to this alleged principle on her deathbed. The study claims that she wanted to continue playing Lvju in her afterlife and therefore instructed to be buried with the donkeys.