2,000-year-old steel acupuncture needles unearthed in Jiangxi

Archaeologists in China have uncovered the country's earliest known steel acupuncture needles, a remarkable medical find buried for over two millennia in the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun in East China's Jiangxi province, according to the provincial cultural relics and archaeological institute.

"At least five needle-like objects were visible in the tube's cross-section," said Yang Jun, leader of the excavation team at the Marquis of Haihun's tomb in Jiangxi.

The delicate needles date back over 2,000 years. They were discovered in a jade tube inside a gold-foiled lacquer box and were crafted with steelworking techniques far ahead of their time. Centuries underground have left them corroded and broken, requiring careful analysis to confirm their purpose.

Each needle measures 0.3 to 0.5 millimeters in diameter. Yang noted that they were likely wrapped in cloth prior to being placed in the jade tube, a practice that ensured hygiene and safe handling.

Gu Man, an expert from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, said the needles are believed to be the earliest steel medical acupuncture needles discovered in China to date, serving as crucial evidence for the history of steel metallurgy and ancient Chinese medicine during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24).