The protagonist of this story is Lady Dai, also known as Xin Zhui, she was a noble woman of the Eastern Han dynasty in China who lived approximately in the eleventh century BC. The woman was the wife of the Marquis of Dai, Li Cang, and lived in Changsha City in Hunan Province.
Lady Dai was admired for her beauty, intelligence, and artistic abilities. She was famous for her skill in embroidery and music. She was also an expert in the art of poetry and calligraphy. So far it is just one more story of a woman who lived many years ago in one of the most important civilizations in the history of mankind, but here comes the curious thing.
A few years ago, a tomb was discovered in the city of Changsha the body of Lady Dai, perfectly preserved after more than two thousand years. Numerous analyses and investigations have been carried out to learn more about his life and death.
The archaeologists responsible for the discovery of Lady Dai's tomb were members of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The leader of the team that discovered the woman's mummy, Wu Weizhong, stated that the discovery was "a very important find in the history of Chinese archaeology" and that the tomb was "one of the most complete and best preserved burials of a noble family of the Han dynasty." How did it stay in such perfect condition for so long?
An illustrative image of archaeologists. Photo: EFE.
An incognita
According to research, scholars believe that Lady Dai died when she was 50 years old and apparently her death may have been caused by a heart attack. He has also been found to suffer from various diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes and hypertension.
One of the most amazing finds from Lady Dai's tomb was the sheer number of artifacts and treasures that were found in it. The mausoleum was found intact and contained more than a thousand artifacts, including gold and jade jewelry, bronze vessels and finely worked wooden objects. More than a hundred people were also found buried next to Lady Dai, including her servants and guardians.
The mausoleum was found intact and contained gold and jade jewelry, bronze vessels and wooden objects. Photo: Twitter.
The preservation of his body is another impressive find. Its body is in a special layer of liquid that has kept it almost intact for more than two thousand years. The care of the body was very present in their culture since they applied some embalming techniques where mercury was used.
How did it manage to preserve itself so well?
Lady Dai's mummy is considered the best preserved in history, and has helped scholars learn more about life and death in ancient China. The commitment that his contemporaries had to preserve his body, without a doubt, is one of the most impressive and surprising finds in history.
Lady Dai was buried in a tomb of four chambers and a hall, which was sealed by a huge stone slab. This slab weighed more than 30 tons, indicating that it took a lot of effort and planning for the construction of it. Lady Dai's tomb also had intricate wall paintings depicting scenes from everyday life and the afterlife. This suggests that his social position and wealth were a major influence on the construction of his tomb.
In addition to the treasures and artifacts found in her tomb, documents written by Lady Dai were also discovered in which she narrated her life and concerns. These documents have helped scholars learn more about the lives of noble women in ancient China.
Since its discovery, the mummy of Lady Dai has been the subject of numerous studies and research around the world. Among them is the research that has been carried out to discover how his body was preserved in such an exceptional way.
Lady Dai
In 2021, a study was conducted that revealed that his body had been embalmed with a mixture of salt and other chemicals, as well as mercury, a technique that was used in ancient China and had never before been seen in such a high proportion.
The discovery of Lady Dai's tomb was a major news story in the media around the world such as: The New York Times, The Guardian and the BBC. The said mummy continues to be the object of fascination and study. Its incredible preservation has provided valuable information about life in ancient China and inspired many scientists and scholars to further investigate the secrets behind this impressive historical relic.
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