A 2,400-year-old pit containing skeleton of horses and chariots, beside a tomb possibly of a lord, has been found by archaeologists in central China's Henan Province, media reports said today.

The horse and chariot pit (No 3) is a cluster of tombs belonging to noble families of the Zheng State, a vassal state during the Spring and Autumn (770-476 BC) and Warring States periods (475-221 BC), near the city of Xinzheng.

Since February, four chariots and skeleton of 90 horses have been unearthed from the pit, which is said to be largest of the three within the cluster that have been excavated so far.

"The total number of horses buried in the pit may exceed 100," Ma Juncai from the provincial cultural heritage and archaeology institute, who led the excavation, was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

He said that it was difficult to identify the tomb owner as the main tomb has been looted and no written records have been found yet.

It may belong to a lord from the late Spring and Autumn period, judging from the size of the tomb and the details of items found inside, Ma said.

He said that bronze artifacts have also been discovered from the pit which provides important information on technology, production, social status and funeral practices of the period.

Ma said he believes the chariots were for daily use by a lord and his wife.

One of the chariots is significantly larger and more extravagant. It is 2.56 meters long and 1.66 meters wide, and is equipped with rain and sun protection and decorated with bronze and bone artifacts.

Li Hongchang, director of the Zheng State Horse and Chariot Pit tourist site, said that it is believed that during the Zheng State horses were usually killed first, then placed into a pit beside the owner's tomb with dismantled chariots added on top.

Excavation of tombs and surrounding 49 acres of land has already found 18 large pits containing horses and chariots and more than 3,000 tombs.