踏實墓群位于(yu)瓜州縣鎖陽城鎮鎮政府(fu)東南7千米處的戈(ge)壁灘上。
1944年(nian)(nian)發(fa)現(xian),1987、1989年(nian)(nian)當(dang)地(di)文物(wu)考古工(gong)作(zuo)者進行了調查。1990年(nian)(nian),甘肅省文物(wu)考古研究所(suo)發(fa)掘了一號大墓(mu)(mu)(mu)。1997年(nian)(nian)、2005年(nian)(nian)安西(xi)博物(wu)館對(dui)被(bei)盜的(de)二(er)、三(san)(san)號墓(mu)(mu)(mu)葬進行搶救性發(fa)掘。墓(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)(qun)分東(dong)(dong)、西(xi)兩(liang)個墓(mu)(mu)(mu)區。東(dong)(dong)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)區面積約5000萬(wan)平方(fang)米(mi)(mi)(mi),有(you)礫(li)巖(yan)洞(dong)室(shi)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)225座,其(qi)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)大型(xing)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)8座,集中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)于墓(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)(qun)西(xi)部(bu)。位于墓(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)(qun)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)部(bu)的(de)一號大墓(mu)(mu)(mu),俗稱(cheng)“四個墩(dun)子(zi)”,其(qi)地(di)面遺跡有(you)塋(ying)(ying)(ying)圈、神(shen)(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)、墓(mu)(mu)(mu)闕(que)(que)、封(feng)土等。塋(ying)(ying)(ying)圈的(de)圍墻基(ji)本呈方(fang)形(xing),東(dong)(dong)西(xi)131米(mi)(mi)(mi),南北長(chang)128米(mi)(mi)(mi),高1.3米(mi)(mi)(mi);神(shen)(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)也是(shi)用(yong)砂(sha)礫(li)堆積成梁,長(chang)234.2米(mi)(mi)(mi),寬18米(mi)(mi)(mi);有(you)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)闕(que)(que)4座,分別(bie)位于神(shen)(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)南北端的(de)東(dong)(dong)西(xi)兩(liang)側。其(qi)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)神(shen)(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)北端東(dong)(dong)側單(dan)闕(que)(que)通高5.1米(mi)(mi)(mi),闕(que)(que)身(shen)高3.8米(mi)(mi)(mi),臺(tai)基(ji)高1.3米(mi)(mi)(mi),塋(ying)(ying)(ying)圈口東(dong)(dong)側闕(que)(que)是(shi)子(zi)母(mu)闕(que)(que),殘高5.8米(mi)(mi)(mi)。封(feng)土用(yong)砂(sha)礫(li)堆積,高4.5米(mi)(mi)(mi),呈梯形(xing);墓(mu)(mu)(mu)道(dao)(dao)同(tong)封(feng)土一樣(yang),用(yong)砂(sha)礫(li)堆積,長(chang)60米(mi)(mi)(mi),寬7.4米(mi)(mi)(mi),高1.38米(mi)(mi)(mi)。二(er)號墓(mu)(mu)(mu)和三(san)(san)號墓(mu)(mu)(mu)均出(chu)土了精美(mei)的(de)畫像磚。西(xi)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)區面積約4500萬(wan)平方(fang)米(mi)(mi)(mi)。有(you)礫(li)巖(yan)洞(dong)室(shi)墓(mu)(mu)(mu)200多座,其(qi)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)大墓(mu)(mu)(mu)6座,多集中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)于墓(mu)(mu)(mu)群(qun)(qun)(qun)東(dong)(dong)部(bu)。大部(bu)分墓(mu)(mu)(mu)地(di)表有(you)砂(sha)礫(li)堆積塋(ying)(ying)(ying)圈、神(shen)(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)、封(feng)土和墓(mu)(mu)(mu)道(dao)(dao)。3號墓(mu)(mu)(mu)塋(ying)(ying)(ying)圈呈正方(fang)形(xing),長(chang)、寬各95米(mi)(mi)(mi),神(shen)(shen)(shen)道(dao)(dao)向(xiang)北,長(chang)98米(mi)(mi)(mi),寬14.5米(mi)(mi)(mi)。封(feng)土平面呈圓錐形(xing),周(zhou)長(chang)78.6、高3.2米(mi)(mi)(mi),墓(mu)(mu)(mu)道(dao)(dao)向(xiang)東(dong)(dong),長(chang)36.5、寬2.2、高1.25米(mi)(mi)(mi)。
踏實墓群(qun)規模(mo)大(da),保存較好,是(shi)研究漢(han)、魏(wei)(wei)晉、唐時期(qi)瓜沙(sha)地(di)(di)區喪葬(zang)制度(du)變(bian)化的重要歷史資(zi)料(liao)。踏實一(yi)號大(da)墓墓闕(que)是(shi)已知國(guo)內現存唯一(yi)的東漢(han)時期(qi)土坯(pi)壘筑的子母闕(que)遺存,體量(liang)尺度(du)也(ye)遠大(da)于內地(di)(di)的漢(han)代(dai)諸(zhu)石(shi)闕(que),是(shi)研究漢(han)至(zhi)魏(wei)(wei)晉建筑史的重要材(cai)料(liao)。