Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica. (more) Today in History—April 28: Chinese Tomb Discovery Upends the History of Paper Written by Urnesha Bhattacherjee Associate Editor, Britannica India Urnesha Bhattacherjee Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 27, 2026 •History Picture Indiana Jones swapping his fedora for a Han dynasty helmet, dodging booby traps in dusty Chinese tombs. On this day in 1986, Chinese archaeologists announced a real-life blockbuster: the discovery of more than 400 artifacts from the Fangmatan site in Gansu province, including the world’s oldest surviving paper map fragment. Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Want to learn more about what happened on April 28, or any...

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