踏實墓群(qun)位于瓜州縣(xian)鎖陽城鎮鎮政府東南7千米處(chu)的戈壁灘上(shang)。
1944年發現(xian),1987、1989年當地文物考古(gu)工作者進行了(le)(le)調查。1990年,甘肅(su)省(sheng)文物考古(gu)研究(jiu)所發掘了(le)(le)一(yi)號(hao)大墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)。1997年、2005年安西博(bo)物館對被盜的二、三(san)號(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)葬進行搶(qiang)救性(xing)發掘。墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)分(fen)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)、西兩個墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)區。東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)區面積(ji)(ji)(ji)約5000萬(wan)平(ping)方米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),有礫巖(yan)洞(dong)室墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)225座,其(qi)中(zhong)大型墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)8座,集(ji)中(zhong)于(yu)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)西部。位于(yu)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)中(zhong)部的一(yi)號(hao)大墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu),俗稱“四個墩(dun)子(zi)”,其(qi)地面遺跡有塋圈、神(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)、墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)闕(que)、封土等(deng)。塋圈的圍墻基本(ben)呈(cheng)(cheng)方形,東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)西131米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),南北(bei)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)128米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),高(gao)(gao)1.3米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);神(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)也是(shi)(shi)用砂(sha)礫堆積(ji)(ji)(ji)成梁,長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)234.2米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬18米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);有墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)闕(que)4座,分(fen)別位于(yu)神(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)南北(bei)端的東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)西兩側(ce)。其(qi)中(zhong)神(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)北(bei)端東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)側(ce)單闕(que)通高(gao)(gao)5.1米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),闕(que)身高(gao)(gao)3.8米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),臺基高(gao)(gao)1.3米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),塋圈口東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)側(ce)闕(que)是(shi)(shi)子(zi)母闕(que),殘(can)高(gao)(gao)5.8米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。封土用砂(sha)礫堆積(ji)(ji)(ji),高(gao)(gao)4.5米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),呈(cheng)(cheng)梯(ti)形;墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)道(dao)(dao)同封土一(yi)樣,用砂(sha)礫堆積(ji)(ji)(ji),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)60米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬7.4米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),高(gao)(gao)1.38米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。二號(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)和(he)三(san)號(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)均出土了(le)(le)精(jing)美(mei)的畫像磚。西墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)區面積(ji)(ji)(ji)約4500萬(wan)平(ping)方米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。有礫巖(yan)洞(dong)室墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)200多座,其(qi)中(zhong)大墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)6座,多集(ji)中(zhong)于(yu)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)部。大部分(fen)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)地表有砂(sha)礫堆積(ji)(ji)(ji)塋圈、神(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)、封土和(he)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)道(dao)(dao)。3號(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)塋圈呈(cheng)(cheng)正(zheng)方形,長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)、寬各95米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),神(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)向北(bei),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)98米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬14.5米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。封土平(ping)面呈(cheng)(cheng)圓錐形,周長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)78.6、高(gao)(gao)3.2米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)道(dao)(dao)向東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)36.5、寬2.2、高(gao)(gao)1.25米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。
踏(ta)實(shi)墓(mu)群規模大(da),保存(cun)(cun)(cun)較(jiao)好,是(shi)(shi)研究漢、魏(wei)晉、唐(tang)時期瓜沙地(di)區喪葬制度(du)變化的(de)重要歷史資料。踏(ta)實(shi)一號大(da)墓(mu)墓(mu)闕是(shi)(shi)已(yi)知國(guo)內現(xian)存(cun)(cun)(cun)唯一的(de)東漢時期土坯(pi)壘(lei)筑(zhu)的(de)子(zi)母(mu)闕遺存(cun)(cun)(cun),體量尺度(du)也遠大(da)于內地(di)的(de)漢代諸(zhu)石闕,是(shi)(shi)研究漢至魏(wei)晉建筑(zhu)史的(de)重要材料。