Identification of the Components of Lacquered Leather Armor from the Warring States Period

The Chengyang City (城阳城) site in Xinyang, Henan Province, China, was a significant northern military stronghold of the Chu state during the Warring States period (475/403–221 BCE). The lacquered armor unearthed from Tomb M18 provides critical material evidence for studying ancient military technology and lacquer craftsmanship. In this study, a comprehensive analytical approach combining ultra-depth optical microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) were employed to systematically characterize the structural and compositional features of the armor samples. The results indicate that the armor was constructed with a leather substrate and lacked any lacquer ash layer, while the surface exhibited multiple layers of mixed laccol and urushiol-based lacquer coatings. Cinnabar (HgS) was identified as the primary red pigment, and no carbon black or iron-based blackening agents were detected in the dark lacquer layers. Notably, the presence of laccol suggests that such lacquer resources may have also been produced in mainland China, offering new perspectives on the prevailing view that associates laccol exclusively with “Vietnamese lacquer.” This study elucidates the technological characteristics of mid-Warring States period lacquered armor, provides scientific insights into ancient lacquering techniques, and contributes valuable data for the conservation and restoration of similar cultural heritage artifacts.