How was Lady Dai well preserved?
In keeping with her station, Lady Dai was buried in a tomb that also contained her husband and son, though their bodies were not so well-preserved. She was wrapped in 10 layers of silk and laid to rest in a series of four nested coffins covered in lacquer.
What happened to Lady Dai?
Lady Dai was the wife of a high-ranking Han official Li Cang (the Marquis of Dai), and she died at the young age of 50, as a result of her penchant for excess. The cardiac arrest that killed her was believed to have been brought on by a lifetime of obesity, lack of exercise, and an opulent and over-indulgent diet.
Why was Xin Zhui preserved?
This Chinese woman has been preserved for over 2,100 years and she’s baffled scientists. Called the Lady of Dai, she’s considered the best-preserved mummy ever discovered.
How old is Xin Zhui?
2,100-year-old
Xin Zhui (213 BC-163 BC) also known as Lady Dai or the Diva Mummy is a 2,100-year-old mummy from the Western Han Dynasty. To date, she is the best preserved ancient human ever found.
Where was Xin Zhui found?
Changsha
Her tomb, and exceptionally well preserved remains were discovered in 1968, alongside hundreds of valuable artifacts and documents, inside a hill known as Mawangdui, in Changsha, Hunan, China. Her body and belongings are currently under the care of the Hunan Museum, which has allowed occasional international exhibits.
Why is Lady Dai important?
Lady Dai’s banner is important for two primary reasons. It is an early example of pictorial (representing naturalistic scenes not just abstract shapes) art in China. Secondly, the banner features the earliest known portrait in Chinese painting.
What happened to Xin Zhui?
Xin Zhui died around 50 years of age in 168 BC. She was buried in an immense tomb at Mawangdui in Changsha, with more than 1,000 items ranging from drink and food vessels to silk clothing and tapestries to figurines of musicians and mourners.
How many coffins did Lady Dai have?
four nesting coffins
At the center of the tomb, Lady Dai was buried in a series of four nesting coffins.
How tall is Xin Zhui?
2.05 metres
168 bce or shortly after, Western Han dynasty, ink and colours on silk; in the Hunan Provincial Museum, Changsha. Height 2.05 metres.
What was Lady Dai’s life like?
She was overweight, had diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, gallstones and her arteries were almost totally clogged. She didn’t live the healthiest life but she left behind one of the most perfectly preserved bodies in history. She was buried about 2,100 years ago.
Who was Lady Dai’s husband?
Li Cang
217 BC-168 BC), also known as Lady Dai, or Marquise of Dai, was a Chinese noblewoman, and wife to Li Cang (利蒼), the Marquis of Dai, and Chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom, during the Western Han dynasty of ancient China.
How was Xin Zhui found?
In 1968, workers digging an air raid shelter for a hospital near Changsha unearthed the tomb of Xin Zhui, as well as the tombs of her husband and a young man who is most commonly thought to be her son.
Why was the funeral banner of Lady Dai made?
They may be “name banners” used to identify the dead during the mourning ceremonies, or they may have been burial shrouds intended to aid the soul in its passage to the afterlife.
How was the funeral banner of Lady Dai made?
-The Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui) was made in the 2 nd century B. CE and is comprised of painted silk. -Made from wood and had lacquered exteriors and interiors. -The dimensions of this coffin are 256 by 118 by 114 cm.