Chapter 19: Archaeology
Early in August workmen employed on the levelling of a low hill at the end of Tonkin Street, Shamshuipo, unearthed a tomb of considerable size and historical importance, the discovery of which, as soon as it became known, aroused considerable public interest.
The area, known generally as Li Cheng Uk Village, was in the process of being cleared of squatters in order to make way for a large planned settlement. The hill concerned was being levelled for part of the development, and construction of resettlement blocks of flats had already begun nearby.
Fortunately the discovery was reported almost at once, and effective measures were taken by the Government to prevent the tomb being tampered with or its contents disposed of privately. Professor F. S. Drake, Head of the Department of Chinese in the University of Hong Kong, was notified and came at once to the site, where, after discussion with members of the Public Works Department and the Police, it was decided that the interior of the tomb should be photographed, accurately mapped, and cleared under super- vision. Thereafter all concerned cooperated with united enthusiasm to make sure that the fullest benefit, from the point of view of history and research, should be obtained from this important find. Government surveyors undertook the mapping, and Public Works Department workmen, under the supervision of Professor Drake, and with the help of a group of University staff and students, carefully removed the fine earth which partially filled the tomb.
The following description of the tomb is an abstract of a Preliminary Report by Professor Drake, incorporating some of his subsequent revisions.
"The tomb is situated on the fringe of the urban area, in that part of the New Territories known as New Kowloon. The site was once close to the sea, although now, due to reclamations made in this century, it is several hundred yards from it. The land originally rose on a fairly sharp incline from the sea, to a marine terrace, beyond which it rises again sharply to become part of the Kowloon range of hills.