The jade burial suit is crafted from thousands of jade pieces stitched together with gold or silver thread, which can take up to 10 years to complete.
The jade burial suit is a type of funeral attire made from numerous jade pieces intricately assembled, commonly used for royal family members during the Han Dynasty in China (from 206 BC to 220 AD), as well as for the upper class during burial, according to Live Science.
The jade burial suit in the tomb of King Liu Sheng of Zhongshan. (Photo: Lou-Foto).
Each burial suit is crafted using thousands of uniquely shaped jade pieces, sewn together by artisans with gold thread. This exquisitely made suit was used as armor to protect the deceased in the afterlife and to prevent the body from decaying, according to UNESCO. The Han royalty seemingly believed that the jade burial suit could safeguard the soul by preventing it from leaving the body, thus helping the deceased achieve immortality, as noted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Researchers have also discovered a book titled Book of the Later Han that details the crafting of burial suits and the different types of thread used depending on the social status of the deceased. For example, the emperor’s suit used only gold thread, while nobles of lower rank used silver thread. However, this burial practice declined during the 500s under the rule of Emperor Wen of the Western Wei Dynasty, as the valuable burial suits often became targets for tomb robbers.
Although ancient texts mention the burial suit, it wasn’t until 1968 that archaeologists found real-world evidence when they discovered two suits in Hebei Province in northeastern China. The suits were placed in the tomb of King Liu Sheng of Zhongshan and his wife, Princess Dou.
In addition to the burial suits, both bodies were adorned with jade pieces covering their eyes, ears, and other areas. Liu Sheng’s suit alone contained 2,498 jade pieces. Researchers estimate that artisans spent 10 years creating this intricate garment.
