diff --git a/rust/lance-namespace/src/schema.rs b/rust/lance-namespace/src/schema.rs
index 3f44847bcd4..69aa59a51e9 100644
--- a/rust/lance-namespace/src/schema.rs
+++ b/rust/lance-namespace/src/schema.rs
@@ -248,9 +248,12 @@ pub fn convert_json_arrow_field(json_field: &JsonArrowField) -> Result<Field> {
 
 /// Convert JsonArrowDataType to Arrow DataType
 pub fn convert_json_arrow_type(json_type: &JsonArrowDataType) -> Result<DataType> {
+    use std::sync::Arc;
+
     let type_name = json_type.r#type.to_lowercase();
 
     match type_name.as_str() {
+        // Primitive types
         "null" => Ok(DataType::Null),
         "bool" | "boolean" => Ok(DataType::Boolean),
         "int8" => Ok(DataType::Int8),
@@ -261,10 +264,108 @@ pub fn convert_json_arrow_type(json_type: &JsonArrowDataType) -> Result<DataType
         "uint32" => Ok(DataType::UInt32),
         "int64" => Ok(DataType::Int64),
         "uint64" => Ok(DataType::UInt64),
+        "float16" => Ok(DataType::Float16),
         "float32" => Ok(DataType::Float32),
         "float64" => Ok(DataType::Float64),
+
+        // Decimal types - encoding: precision * 1000 + scale
+        // Decoding must handle negative scale: precision = ((encoded + 128) / 1000)
+        "decimal32" => {
+            let encoded = json_type.length.unwrap_or(0);
+            let precision = ((encoded + 128) / 1000) as u8;
+            let scale = (encoded - precision as i64 * 1000) as i8;
+            Ok(DataType::Decimal32(precision, scale))
+        }
+        "decimal64" => {
+            let encoded = json_type.length.unwrap_or(0);
+            let precision = ((encoded + 128) / 1000) as u8;
+            let scale = (encoded - precision as i64 * 1000) as i8;
+            Ok(DataType::Decimal64(precision, scale))
+        }
+        "decimal128" => {
+            let encoded = json_type.length.unwrap_or(0);
+            let precision = ((encoded + 128) / 1000) as u8;
+            let scale = (encoded - precision as i64 * 1000) as i8;
+            Ok(DataType::Decimal128(precision, scale))
+        }
+        "decimal256" => {
+            let encoded = json_type.length.unwrap_or(0);
+            let precision = ((encoded + 128) / 1000) as u8;
+            let scale = (encoded - precision as i64 * 1000) as i8;
+            Ok(DataType::Decimal256(precision, scale))
+        }
+
+        // Date/Time types
+        "date32" => Ok(DataType::Date32),
+        "date64" => Ok(DataType::Date64),
+        "timestamp" => Ok(DataType::Timestamp(
+            arrow::datatypes::TimeUnit::Microsecond,
+            None,
+        )),
+        "duration" => Ok(DataType::Duration(arrow::datatypes::TimeUnit::Microsecond)),
+
+        // String and Binary types
         "utf8" => Ok(DataType::Utf8),
+        "large_utf8" => Ok(DataType::LargeUtf8),
         "binary" => Ok(DataType::Binary),
+        "large_binary" => Ok(DataType::LargeBinary),
+        "fixed_size_binary" => {
+            let size = json_type.length.unwrap_or(0) as i32;
+            Ok(DataType::FixedSizeBinary(size))
+        }
+
+        // Nested types
+        "list" => {
+            let inner = json_type
+                .fields
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|f| f.first())
+                .ok_or_else(|| Error::namespace("list type missing inner field"))?;
+            Ok(DataType::List(Arc::new(convert_json_arrow_field(inner)?)))
+        }
+        "large_list" => {
+            let inner = json_type
+                .fields
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|f| f.first())
+                .ok_or_else(|| Error::namespace("large_list type missing inner field"))?;
+            Ok(DataType::LargeList(Arc::new(convert_json_arrow_field(
+                inner,
+            )?)))
+        }
+        "fixed_size_list" => {
+            let inner = json_type
+                .fields
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|f| f.first())
+                .ok_or_else(|| Error::namespace("fixed_size_list type missing inner field"))?;
+            let size = json_type.length.unwrap_or(0) as i32;
+            Ok(DataType::FixedSizeList(
+                Arc::new(convert_json_arrow_field(inner)?),
+                size,
+            ))
+        }
+        "struct" => {
+            let fields = json_type
+                .fields
+                .as_ref()
+                .ok_or_else(|| Error::namespace("struct type missing fields"))?;
+            let arrow_fields: Result<Vec<Field>> =
+                fields.iter().map(convert_json_arrow_field).collect();
+            Ok(DataType::Struct(arrow_fields?.into()))
+        }
+        "map" => {
+            let entries = json_type
+                .fields
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|f| f.first())
+                .ok_or_else(|| Error::namespace("map type missing entries field"))?;
+            Ok(DataType::Map(
+                Arc::new(convert_json_arrow_field(entries)?),
+                false,
+            ))
+        }
+
         _ => Err(Error::namespace(format!(
             "Unsupported Arrow type: {}",
             type_name
@@ -524,4 +625,205 @@ mod tests {
         let float16 = arrow_type_to_json(&DataType::Float16).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(float16.r#type, "float16");
     }
+
+    /// Verify that convert_json_arrow_type (deserialization) is the inverse of
+    /// arrow_type_to_json (serialization) for all supported types.
+    #[test]
+    fn test_json_arrow_type_roundtrip() {
+        use arrow::datatypes::Field;
+
+        let cases: Vec<DataType> = vec![
+            // Scalars
+            DataType::Null,
+            DataType::Boolean,
+            DataType::Int8,
+            DataType::UInt8,
+            DataType::Int16,
+            DataType::UInt16,
+            DataType::Int32,
+            DataType::UInt32,
+            DataType::Int64,
+            DataType::UInt64,
+            DataType::Float16,
+            DataType::Float32,
+            DataType::Float64,
+            DataType::Utf8,
+            DataType::LargeUtf8,
+            DataType::Binary,
+            DataType::LargeBinary,
+            DataType::Date32,
+            DataType::Date64,
+            DataType::FixedSizeBinary(16),
+            // Decimal types with positive and negative scales
+            DataType::Decimal32(10, -2),
+            DataType::Decimal32(9, 3),
+            DataType::Decimal64(18, -5),
+            DataType::Decimal64(10, 4),
+            DataType::Decimal128(9, -2),
+            DataType::Decimal128(38, 10),
+            DataType::Decimal256(38, 10),
+            DataType::Decimal256(76, -10),
+            // Timestamp and Duration
+            DataType::Timestamp(arrow::datatypes::TimeUnit::Microsecond, None),
+            DataType::Duration(arrow::datatypes::TimeUnit::Microsecond),
+            // Nested
+            DataType::List(Arc::new(Field::new("item", DataType::Int32, true))),
+            DataType::LargeList(Arc::new(Field::new("item", DataType::Utf8, true))),
+            DataType::FixedSizeList(Arc::new(Field::new("item", DataType::Float32, false)), 128),
+            DataType::Struct(
+                vec![
+                    Field::new("a", DataType::Int64, false),
+                    Field::new("b", DataType::Utf8, true),
+                ]
+                .into(),
+            ),
+            // Map
+            DataType::Map(
+                Arc::new(Field::new(
+                    "entries",
+                    DataType::Struct(
+                        vec![
+                            Field::new("keys", DataType::Utf8, false),
+                            Field::new("values", DataType::Int32, true),
+                        ]
+                        .into(),
+                    ),
+                    false,
+                )),
+                false,
+            ),
+        ];
+
+        for dt in &cases {
+            let json = arrow_type_to_json(dt)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("arrow_type_to_json failed for {:?}: {}", dt, e));
+            let back = convert_json_arrow_type(&json)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("convert_json_arrow_type failed for {:?}: {}", dt, e));
+            assert_eq!(&back, dt, "Roundtrip mismatch for {:?}: got {:?}", dt, back);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_decimal_negative_scale_roundtrip() {
+        // Explicitly test the cases requested by reviewer
+        let cases = vec![
+            DataType::Decimal32(10, -2),
+            DataType::Decimal128(9, -2),
+            DataType::Decimal256(38, 10),
+        ];
+        for dt in &cases {
+            let json = arrow_type_to_json(dt).unwrap();
+            let back = convert_json_arrow_type(&json).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(&back, dt, "Decimal roundtrip failed for {:?}", dt);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_schema_with_metadata_roundtrip() {
+        let mut metadata = HashMap::new();
+        metadata.insert("key1".to_string(), "value1".to_string());
+        metadata.insert("key2".to_string(), "value2".to_string());
+
+        let arrow_schema = ArrowSchema::new_with_metadata(
+            vec![
+                Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false),
+                Field::new("name", DataType::Utf8, true),
+            ],
+            metadata.clone(),
+        );
+
+        let json_schema = arrow_schema_to_json(&arrow_schema).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(json_schema.metadata.as_ref().unwrap(), &metadata);
+
+        let roundtrip = convert_json_arrow_schema(&json_schema).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(roundtrip.metadata(), &metadata);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dictionary_type_unwraps_to_value_type() {
+        let dict_type = DataType::Dictionary(Box::new(DataType::Int32), Box::new(DataType::Utf8));
+        let json = arrow_type_to_json(&dict_type).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(json.r#type, "utf8");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_map_keys_sorted_unsupported() {
+        let map_type = DataType::Map(
+            Arc::new(Field::new(
+                "entries",
+                DataType::Struct(
+                    vec![
+                        Field::new("keys", DataType::Utf8, false),
+                        Field::new("values", DataType::Int32, true),
+                    ]
+                    .into(),
+                ),
+                false,
+            )),
+            true, // keys_sorted = true
+        );
+        let result = arrow_type_to_json(&map_type);
+        assert!(result.is_err());
+        assert!(result.unwrap_err().to_string().contains("keys_sorted=true"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_unsupported_types_error() {
+        // RunEndEncoded
+        let ree = DataType::RunEndEncoded(
+            Arc::new(Field::new("run_ends", DataType::Int32, false)),
+            Arc::new(Field::new("values", DataType::Utf8, true)),
+        );
+        assert!(arrow_type_to_json(&ree).is_err());
+
+        // ListView
+        let lv = DataType::ListView(Arc::new(Field::new("item", DataType::Int32, true)));
+        assert!(arrow_type_to_json(&lv).is_err());
+
+        // LargeListView
+        let llv = DataType::LargeListView(Arc::new(Field::new("item", DataType::Int32, true)));
+        assert!(arrow_type_to_json(&llv).is_err());
+
+        // Utf8View / BinaryView
+        assert!(arrow_type_to_json(&DataType::Utf8View).is_err());
+        assert!(arrow_type_to_json(&DataType::BinaryView).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_large_list_roundtrip() {
+        let inner_field = Field::new("item", DataType::Float64, true);
+        let large_list = DataType::LargeList(Arc::new(inner_field));
+
+        let json = arrow_type_to_json(&large_list).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(json.r#type, "large_list");
+
+        let back = convert_json_arrow_type(&json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(back, large_list);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_field_with_metadata_roundtrip() {
+        let mut field_meta = HashMap::new();
+        field_meta.insert("custom_key".to_string(), "custom_val".to_string());
+
+        let field = Field::new("col", DataType::Int64, false).with_metadata(field_meta.clone());
+        let schema = ArrowSchema::new(vec![field]);
+
+        let json_schema = arrow_schema_to_json(&schema).unwrap();
+        let roundtrip = convert_json_arrow_schema(&json_schema).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(roundtrip.field(0).metadata(), &field_meta);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_nested_list_with_field_metadata() {
+        let mut meta = HashMap::new();
+        meta.insert("encoding".to_string(), "delta".to_string());
+
+        let inner = Field::new("item", DataType::Int32, true).with_metadata(meta.clone());
+        let list_type = DataType::List(Arc::new(inner));
+
+        let json = arrow_type_to_json(&list_type).unwrap();
+        let fields = json.fields.as_ref().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fields[0].metadata.as_ref().unwrap(), &meta);
+    }
 }