The Xuzhou Museum in eastern China features an extraordinary jade burial suit from the Han dynasty, dating between 206 BC and 220 AD. This artifact is one of the most beautiful funeral dresses discovered, designed for the burial of noble or aristocratic individuals.
The suit is composed of 2,216 individual jade pieces, intricately sewn together with silver thread. The craftsmanship involved in creating this suit is remarkable, as it reflects the advanced techniques of the time. The suit measures 181 cm in height and 73 cm across the shoulders.
Excavated from the Tomb of Liuhe at Shitunhuoshan in the Tongshan District of Xuzhou, this jade suit was found alongside a jade seal inscribed with the characters “刘和” (Liu He), confirming its association with a member of the royal Chu family. The use of jade and silver in the burial attire signifies the high status of the deceased, highlighting elaborate funerary practices of the Han dynasty.
