A New Study of the Clothing of the Zubu Nomads in Mongolia During the Liao Dynasty

Abstract

The clothing styles of the ancient Xiongnu and Xianbei nomads were inherited by the Khitans, proto-

Mongolic speakers who established a powerful state in the 10th-12th centuries. After founding their state, they

enacted laws regulating dress: in the northern part of their realm, people were to wear their traditional attire,

while in the southern regions, people were required to wear Han-style garments. During the height of the Khitan

Empire, the Mongolic groups under their authority, known as Zubu, left behind clothing traditions that Mongo-

lian archaeologists have recently uncovered and studied, contributing significant knowledge about the apparel of

early nomads. Furthermore, among the cultural heritage preserved in private collections in Mongolia are valu-

able artefacts that shed light on the clothing design of early Mongolic peoples. Based on geographic context,

historical sources, detailed examination of related artefacts, and radiocarbon dating, researchers have concluded

that these finds are associated with the Kerait and Naiman lineages.