Six pieces of celadon porcelain made in China were found in a wooden coffin in a tomb in the Yoshimori ruins at the town of Nijo, Fukuoka Prefecture, that dates back to the mid-13th century, local education officials said.

The officials said Wednesday that the find is interesting because such porcelain was considered precious at the time, and it is rare for as many as six pieces, including plates, to be used in a single burial offering.

The pieces -- two bowls with a diameter of about 17 cm and four plates about 10 cm in diameter -- were found in a spot to the left of where the buried person's head would have been.

The tomb was built in an area where many buildings appeared to have been standing, indicating a powerful person was buried there, the officials said.