踏實墓群位于瓜州縣鎖陽城鎮(zhen)鎮(zhen)政(zheng)府東南7千米(mi)處的(de)戈壁灘上。
1944年發(fa)(fa)現,1987、1989年當地(di)文(wen)物(wu)考(kao)古工作者(zhe)進行了(le)調查(cha)。1990年,甘肅省文(wen)物(wu)考(kao)古研究所發(fa)(fa)掘了(le)一號(hao)(hao)(hao)大(da)(da)(da)(da)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)。1997年、2005年安西(xi)(xi)(xi)博(bo)物(wu)館(guan)對被(bei)盜的二、三號(hao)(hao)(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)葬進行搶救(jiu)性發(fa)(fa)掘。墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)分東(dong)(dong)(dong)、西(xi)(xi)(xi)兩(liang)個墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)區(qu)。東(dong)(dong)(dong)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)區(qu)面積(ji)約5000萬平方米(mi)(mi),有(you)礫(li)巖洞室墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)225座(zuo),其中大(da)(da)(da)(da)型墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)8座(zuo),集中于(yu)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)西(xi)(xi)(xi)部。位于(yu)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)中部的一號(hao)(hao)(hao)大(da)(da)(da)(da)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu),俗稱“四個墩子(zi)”,其地(di)面遺跡有(you)塋(ying)(ying)圈、神道、墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)闕(que)(que)、封土(tu)(tu)(tu)等。塋(ying)(ying)圈的圍墻基(ji)本呈(cheng)方形,東(dong)(dong)(dong)西(xi)(xi)(xi)131米(mi)(mi),南(nan)北(bei)長(chang)128米(mi)(mi),高(gao)(gao)(gao)1.3米(mi)(mi);神道也是用砂(sha)(sha)礫(li)堆(dui)(dui)(dui)積(ji)成梁,長(chang)234.2米(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)18米(mi)(mi);有(you)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)闕(que)(que)4座(zuo),分別位于(yu)神道南(nan)北(bei)端的東(dong)(dong)(dong)西(xi)(xi)(xi)兩(liang)側(ce)。其中神道北(bei)端東(dong)(dong)(dong)側(ce)單(dan)闕(que)(que)通高(gao)(gao)(gao)5.1米(mi)(mi),闕(que)(que)身高(gao)(gao)(gao)3.8米(mi)(mi),臺基(ji)高(gao)(gao)(gao)1.3米(mi)(mi),塋(ying)(ying)圈口東(dong)(dong)(dong)側(ce)闕(que)(que)是子(zi)母闕(que)(que),殘高(gao)(gao)(gao)5.8米(mi)(mi)。封土(tu)(tu)(tu)用砂(sha)(sha)礫(li)堆(dui)(dui)(dui)積(ji),高(gao)(gao)(gao)4.5米(mi)(mi),呈(cheng)梯形;墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)道同封土(tu)(tu)(tu)一樣(yang),用砂(sha)(sha)礫(li)堆(dui)(dui)(dui)積(ji),長(chang)60米(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)7.4米(mi)(mi),高(gao)(gao)(gao)1.38米(mi)(mi)。二號(hao)(hao)(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)和三號(hao)(hao)(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)均出土(tu)(tu)(tu)了(le)精美的畫像磚。西(xi)(xi)(xi)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)區(qu)面積(ji)約4500萬平方米(mi)(mi)。有(you)礫(li)巖洞室墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)200多(duo)(duo)座(zuo),其中大(da)(da)(da)(da)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)6座(zuo),多(duo)(duo)集中于(yu)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)東(dong)(dong)(dong)部。大(da)(da)(da)(da)部分墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)地(di)表(biao)有(you)砂(sha)(sha)礫(li)堆(dui)(dui)(dui)積(ji)塋(ying)(ying)圈、神道、封土(tu)(tu)(tu)和墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)道。3號(hao)(hao)(hao)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)塋(ying)(ying)圈呈(cheng)正方形,長(chang)、寬(kuan)(kuan)各(ge)95米(mi)(mi),神道向北(bei),長(chang)98米(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)14.5米(mi)(mi)。封土(tu)(tu)(tu)平面呈(cheng)圓錐形,周長(chang)78.6、高(gao)(gao)(gao)3.2米(mi)(mi),墓(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)道向東(dong)(dong)(dong),長(chang)36.5、寬(kuan)(kuan)2.2、高(gao)(gao)(gao)1.25米(mi)(mi)。
踏實(shi)墓群規(gui)模大,保(bao)存較好,是(shi)研究漢(han)、魏(wei)晉(jin)、唐(tang)時期瓜(gua)沙地區(qu)喪葬制度變化的重(zhong)要歷史(shi)(shi)資(zi)料。踏實(shi)一號大墓墓闕(que)是(shi)已知國內現存唯(wei)一的東漢(han)時期土坯壘筑(zhu)的子母闕(que)遺存,體(ti)量尺(chi)度也遠大于內地的漢(han)代諸石闕(que),是(shi)研究漢(han)至魏(wei)晉(jin)建筑(zhu)史(shi)(shi)的重(zhong)要材料。