Archaeologists Unearth Rare ‘Fish Scale’ Armor From 2,000-Year-Old Chinese Tomb

Researchers from the Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology of Jiangxi Province in China have discovered the remains of a complex large-scale armor unearthed from a more than 2,000-year-old Han Dynasty tomb.

The unusual armor is composed of multiple materials, making it the first of its kind to be documented from the Han Dynasty, the institute said on Dec. 7, as reported Xinhua News Agency.

The tomb belonged to Liu He, a prince who inherits the imperial throne of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC to AD 25) for only 27 days before being deposed (though not killed). At the time of his death years later he was known as the Marquis of Haihun. Archaeologists discovered his a well-preserved tomb in eastern China’s Jiangxi province in 2011.

The Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology of China’s Jiangxi Province announced on the 7th that it has completed the temporary sorting of armor fragments excavated from the Tomb of Haiguhou Liuhe, a tomb of a former Han Dynasty prince located in Nanchang, province. The researchers reconstructed approximately 6,000 shell fragments and found that they were part of a fish scale shell made from a combination of lacquered iron, copper and leather. This is the first time a Han dynasty armor made of multiple materials has been discovered. pic.twitter.com/mxV3OY0Jgj

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Two years ago, archaeologists discovered armor scales (also known as plates) along with knives and swords in a pile in the tomb’s armory, according to The history blog. Given the remains of varnish—a hard, shiny coating—archaeologists assumed that the armor was originally packed in now-decomposed boxes covered in varnish.

“Haihun Hou Tomb suffered earthquakes and rising groundwater levels due to the expansion of the Poyang Lake area, so the armor fragments were in a fragile state,” Yang Jun of the Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology and head of the excavation said the team that uncovered the grave Xinhua News Agency. Over two years, the team, which included researchers from the Institute of Archeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and several other institutions, extracted 6,000 armor flakes and took them to a laboratory for analysis and restoration.

The armor was distinguished by the distinctive size and material of its scales. According to Bai Rongjin of the Institute of Archeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Han Dynasty armor scales typically range from 0.39 to 3.94 inches (4 to 10 centimeters) in width. The smaller the scale, the more are needed, requiring greater skill to craft such precision equipment.

However, the “smallest armor” from Marquis Haihun’s tomb “is about 1 cm wide and 0.2 cm thick, making it the smallest fish scale armor excavated during archaeological excavations of Han Dynasty ruins” , he explained. In addition, archaeologists discovered that the armor was made of multiple materials, including iron, copper, and leather. This is also unusual, as Rongjin noted that Han dynasty armor was usually composed of a single material. In fact, scales are the only documented example of armor made of multiple materials from the Han Dynasty.

The armor ultimately represents a stunning example of Han dynasty military equipment and reflects the excellent level of armor production that existed in the region at the time. Perhaps it even suggests that although Liu He may have been disgraced during his lifetime, he was buried with honor.