The material and structure of costume fragments and the attached residues unearthed from SD15 in the Jianjiapo Tomb Group, Yiwu County, Xinjiang

The analysis and study of dress remnants and associated residues unearthed from tombs can provide important physical evidence for revealing ancient textile technology, clothing forms, burial customs, and cultural exchanges. To investigate the material and structure of the dress remnants and their associated residues unearthed from SD15 in the Jianjiapo Tomb Group, Yiwu County, Xinjiang, this study employed super depth-of-field microscopy (SDM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The costume remnants comprised three types of textiles with varying shapes and residues located in the surface layer, inter layer, and inner layer. The findings revealed that: all three types of textiles were crafted from mulberry silk, with a specific structure involving two types of silk and one type of heavy warp brocade. This fabric was consistent with the silk used in daily attire in Xinjiang from the Sui and Tang dynasties. The surface layer of the residues contained thicker wool felt, while the inter layer and inner layer housed a thinner wool felt, presumably used in the owner's attire. The flocculent thin felt of silk clothing were enveloped in felt before burial. These findings offer insights into the study of clothing in Xinjiang from the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Additionally, they provide information for investigating nomadic burial customs in China.