City to replicate ancient 'skyscraper'

A city in Henan province plans to replicate an ancient 7-story building, which was called a "skyscraper" in its time, based on an excavated pottery model, Dahe Daily reported on Tuesday.

For an investment of 200 million yuan ($32.68 million), the cultural heritage department in Jiaozuo plans to reproduce a building based on a 2-meter-high Taocanglou, or painted pottery building model, which was excavated from an Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220) tomb in the city in 1993.

Taocanglou were a symbol of wealth in ancient times.

The recreated building, more than 20 times the size of the pottery model, will be used as an exhibition hall for Taocanglou as the city has already excavated more than 100 similar pieces.