Unveiling the Xianbei Cavalry: A multidisciplinary approach to restore and analyze the first horse-cavalry armour set in China

Between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD, the Xianbei emerged as a dominant
nomadic power in the Eastern Eurasian Steppe, distinguished by their
exceptional equestrian culture and the pivotal role of cavalry in warfare.
Despite their historical significance, detailed knowledge of their
cavalry’s weaponry and equipment—particularly armour—remains fragmentary.
As a critical element of military technology, armour offers valuable
insights into ancient combat strategies and cultural practices. However,
research on early Chinese cavalry armour has been constrained by limited
textual records and the scarcity of well-preserved archaeological
specimens. This study presents a systematic reconstruction of the earliest
known set of horse cavalry armour, excavated from the Lamadong Cemetery in
Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China. By combining traditional
archaeological methods with advanced analytical techniques—including
microscopic morphological analysis, Fourier-transform infrared
spectroscopy, and paleoproteomics—we successfully restored the armour’s
physical structure and determined its material composition. This
1600-year-old nomadic cavalry equipment not only reveals Xianbei’s
advanced manufacturing techniques but also provides the first evidence of
sheep-derived materials in ancient armour production. Our findings
underscore the importance of multidisciplinary approaches in
archaeological research, demonstrating how paleoproteomics, in particular,
can offer novel perspectives on material sourcing and technological
practices in antiquity.