The precious textiles from the Shanpula tomb in Luopu county, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, are useful, along with textiles from other ancient tombs, for studying the history of world textiles and trade along the Silk Road. These textiles carry important historical, cultural and technical values of the development of human society. With the aim of understanding the use of gold in ancient textiles, a twining gold thread from the Shanpula tomb in Luopu county, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, was analyzed, using digital optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDS) to reveal characteristics of the gold thread and its inner structure. Its physical characteristics, including width, thickness and alloy composition, were recorded. The results are important and should be of help in future research on the techniques used in ancient times to make textiles containing twining gold threads. Future study can focus on gathering analysis information of gold thread, therefore provides insights into the origin and developments of gold usage in textile.