China reconstructs Tang Dynasty's only remaining ‘Golden Armour' after 1,200 years

Chinese archaeologists have successfully reconstructed the only surviving “golden armour” in full after four years of effort.

It is believed that the golden armour was worn in battle by soldiers of the Tang Dynasty nearly 1,200 years ago.

For context, the Tang Dynasty (618 - 917AD) is regarded as one of the golden eras in Chinese history, which saw the country undergo rapid political, economic and military advancements.

According to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the armour was known only through poetry until 2018 when its first fragments were discovered from a Xuewei site tomb in Qinghai province.

The archaeologists said that preserving and then reconstructing the golden armour was very challenging as the fragments were decayed and incomplete.

They added that the process was completed using advanced 3D scanning, microscopy technology and virtual and augmented reality.

South China Morning Post quoted a conservationist involved in the project saying that the team first separated the fragments, conducted layered cleaning and then reassembled the armour.

Guo Zhengchen said that the preservation and reconstruction of an ancient “emblem” through the use of digital technology highlights the potential of the latest technology in cultural conservation.