Tomb mural restorations in China's Shaanxi shed light on Tang dynasty life

Chinese archaeologists used new technology and tools to restore the tomb mural paintings of Li Daojian, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) period, according to the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.

The tomb was excavated in the southwest of Fuping county, Shaanxi province, and believed to be that of Li Daojian, great-grandson of the first Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Yuan.

The single-chamber brick tomb with a long slope was robbed and sustained waterlogging several times, yet it is still rich in content. The restoration work began in 2017.

"We found that the mural, which records images of officials and maids of the Tang dynasty, has serious dislocations and damages," said Yan Jing, a researcher with the institute.

Researchers used a nanomaterial to strengthen the fragments of the mural. The image restoration technique was used to repair and simulate the missing pieces of the mural, Yan added.

"The restored murals would provide significant materials for the study of politics, art and culture of the Tang Dynasty," said Yan.