Retrieved relics on display at the National Museum of China

[Photo/CGTN]

Hundreds of artifacts, which were recently retrieved from a section of the Minjiang River in Sichuan Province are now on display at the National Museum of China in the nation's capital, Beijing. Just how did they find their way to the bottom of the riverbed in Jiangkou.

More than 500 relics are on display at the museum, from coins and jewelry to ingots and iron weapons. And these are just a tiny fraction of the tens of thousands of pieces which have been discovered at the site. They're believed to have been owned by the leader of a peasant uprising during the late the Ming Dynasty, nearly 400 years ago.

Iron weapons on display at the National Museum of China. [Photo/CGTN]

Legend has it that Zhang Xianzhong's revolt was put down, and he attempted to flee his enemy's troops down the Minjiang River by boat.

His escape wasn't successful, and his vessels and their cargo were sunk in battle.

The discovery suggests there may be some truth to the story, after all.