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’t the tool’s earliest examples, the relics represent an important transitional moment in traditional Chinese medicine. The Marquis of Haihun’s tomb has offered archeologists invaluable information about life during the Western Han dynasty (202 BCE-9CE) since its discovery in 2011 in eastern China’s Jiangxi province. Previous finds include a unique bronze distillation cauldron, approximately 6,000 lacquered armor scales, as well as the oldest documented Chinese painting of Confucius. According to China’s Global Times, however, some of the latest excavated artifacts aren’t related to drinking, combat, or philosophy....