The archaeological society and amateurs had cast doubt on the claim before the State Administration of Cultural Heritage late Friday declared the find was one of the 10 top archaeological findings in China in 2009.

"The announcement indicates that the Chinese academic world has generally endorsed the authenticity of the tomb of Cao Cao in Anyang, although there are still many myths behind the legendary figure," said Sun Yingmin, deputy director of the Henan provincial bureau of cultural heritage.

The tomb is located near the Yellow River and in Xigaoxue Village,Anyang, where Cao Cao ruled the Kingdom of Wei from 208 to 220, when he died at the age of 65.

The Henan Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau announced the discovery of the tomb in December 2009, triggering nationwide interest in the ancient statesman, whose exploits were immortalized in the 14th Century historical novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", regarded as one of China's greatest literary works.

Cao Cao had been portrayed as intellectual, but scheming arch-careerist in Chinese art works.

TOMB'S LAYOUT UNCOVERED

The excavation undertaken by the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage has uncovered the layout of the mausoleum.

The square-shaped mausoleum comprises two pits covering 8,934 square meters. The No.2 pit has been identified as the coffin chamber of the tomb master, where a male skull, two female skulls and more than 250 relics have been unearthed.

The file picture taken on Dec. 30, 2009 shows the archaeological site where the Mausoleum of Cao Cao is located in Anyang, a city in central China's Henan Province. The Mausoleum of Cao Cao, a legendary Chinese warlord during the Three Kingdoms period (208-280 A.D.), has recently been declared as Cultural Relics under Provincial Protection. The tomb is located near the Yellow River and the city of Anyang, where Cao Cao ruled the Kingdom of Wei from 208 to 220, when he died at the age of 65. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

The male skull suggested the man was aged over 60, and the females were aged about 20 and 50, but archaeologists have not reached conclusions on their identities.

Liu Shuguang, rector of the academy, said authorities were planning to build the mausoleum into a national archaeological relic park.