A bronze pot containing chestnuts, unearthed in a 2,000-year-old tomb may prove the popularity of hot pot cuisine among ancient aristocrats.

The three-legged vessel was found in the tomb of Haihunhou, the Marquis of Haihun, and dates back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 24).

It was identified as a hot pot because a charcoal plate was attached to the bottom that could keep broth simmering while being served, said Zhang Zhongli of the excavation team at the Haihunhou burial ground in Jiangxi province.