An army of tomb raiders set siege to China’s ancient treasures

The-looted-interior-of-a-nearly-1800-year-old-tomb-near-the-city-of-Anyang-in-central-Henan-province-710x335 An army of tomb raiders set siege to China’s ancient treasures

It’s perhaps not surprising that grave robbing has a long tradition in China – after all, Chinese civilization stretches back several thousand years. But a 21st century twist is turning this age-old crime into an epidemic. Inspired by get-rich-quick yarns and a series of popular novels, young migrant workers and peasants have teamed up in the thousands through internet chat rooms to loot historic tombs in key provinces.