Oldest Known Steel Acupuncture Needles Discovered in Disgraced Emperor’s Tomb

Oldest known steel acupuncture needles discovered in disgraced emperor’s tomb

Ancient Chinese medical texts like the Huangdi Neijing suggest acupuncture was first developed at least 2,500 years ago. Those tools would not become perfected until blacksmiths discovered advanced crafting techniques like steelmaking around 400 BCE. Now, recent archeological work at the famous tomb of Liu He—better known as the Marquis of Haihun—has yielded what researchers believe are the oldest known steel acupuncture needles. While they aren…

World's earliest steel acupuncture needles found in 2,000-year-old...

Needle-like artifacts unearthed from the famed tomb of the Marquis of Haihun in East China's Jiangxi Province have been confirmed to be the world's earliest known steel acupuncture needles, marking a pivotal moment in the history of traditional Chinese medicine, according to a document from the provincial cultural relics and archaeological institute sent to the Global Times on Thursday. Discovered within a jade tube inside a gilded lacquer box p…

Discovery Reveals the World's Oldest Acupuncture Needles.

A set of fragmented metal needles unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun in eastern China has been identified as the earliest known example of steel acupuncture needles. The discovery, reported by the Global Times, highlights the technical sophistication of traditional Chinese medicine as early as the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE–25 CE). The needles were stored in a jade tube, which was kept inside a gold-lacquered box placed beside th…