ORNAMENTS of Wealth and Power Bronze, Silver and Gold Artefacts of Ancient China and Neighbouring Regions BARRY TILL
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Abbreviations Tanenbaum Gift of Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Menzie From the Collection of Rev. Dr James M. Menzies, Gift of his Children: (1) Gift of Marion Menzies Hummel, (2) Gift of Erwin and Francis Newcombe, (3) Gift of Arthur R. Menzies; Gift of his Grandchildren: (4) Given in Memory of Marion Menzies Hummel by James Menzies Hummel, Marion E. Hummel and family, (5) Gift of Gordon Newcombe and Patricia Butler McElney Gift of Brian S. McElney Isserstedt Gift of Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Isserstedt Matheson Gift of Peggy Matheson and Family from the C.C. Knox Collection Vessels 1 Jue ritual wine goblet Shang dynasty, Zhengzhou phase, 16th 14th century BCE Bronze, height 13.2 cm McElney AGGV 1985.019.002 5 2 Pair of jue ritual wine goblets with taotie decoration Shang dynasty, Anyang phase, 13th 11th century BCE Bronze, height 18 cm Gift of Dr J.H. and Lucy Mullett AGGV 1997.033.001&.002 3 Lei ritual food container Spring and Autumn period, 8th century BCE Bronze, height 25.2 cm McElney AGGV 1992.002.019 4 Lidded container Late Warring States period/han dynasty, 3rd/2nd century BCE Bronze, height 20.5 cm Tanenbaum 21094 AGGV 2007.005.516 5 Brazier with openwork sides and ear handle bowl Eastern Han dynasty, 1st 2nd century CE Bronze, length 25 cm Tanenbaum 21085 AGGV 2007.005.508 6 6 Lamp with inscription Western Han dynasty, dated 28 BCE Bronze, height 7.2 cm, length 13.8 cm Menzies (3) AGGV 2003.029.024
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Weapons 7 (top) Sword Bronze, length 54.8 cm Gift of Mr Etienne Sigault AGGV 1976.087.001 a, b (middle and bottom) Swords Bronze, lengths 54.3 cm and 43.8 cm Menzies (5), (2) AGGV 2003.028.001, AGGV 2003.029.020 8 (left) Ge ritual dagger-axe Shang dynasty, 16th 11th century BCE. Bronze, length 29.3 cm Gift of Mrs Marjorie Finlayson AGGV 1985.056.002 (middle and right) Ge ritual dagger-axes Shang dynasty, 16th 11th century BCE Bronze, remnants of coarse cloth, lengths 25 cm and 23 cm Menzies (1), (5) AGGV 1990.0039.001 & 2003.028.002 9 Socketed ge dagger-axes (one curved and one broken blade) Shang dynasty, 16th 11th century BCE Bronze, lengths 23.8 cm and 14.1 cm Menzies (3) AGGV 2003.029.002 &.003 8 10 Yue axe decorated with a taotie mask and a two character inscription Shang dynasty, 12th 11th century BCE Bronze, length 22.2 cm Ex Myron Falk Collection Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.004 9 10
11f 11a 11b 11c 11d 11e 11g 12 11h 11i 11j 11k 13
14 15 11 Daggers (some with ibex, zoomorphic pommels and openwork handles) Nomadic North China, Mongolia, Siberia Late Shang/Zhou period, 13th 3rd century BCE Bronze, lengths 17.8, 15.1, 19.1, 20.5, 27.3, 13.1, 27.4, 26.2, 23.9, 22, 19.8 cm Tanenbaum 20141, 20174, 20175, 20176, 20177, 20178, 20180, 20181, 20182, 20183, 20185 AGGV 2007.005.219, 2007.005.220,.221,.222,.223,.225,.226,.227,.228,.230 16 12 Arrowheads Shang/Zhou period, 13th 3rd century BCE Bronze, one bone, one with wooden shaft fragment, lengths 8.4, 8, 7.8, 6.7, 5.3 cm Menzies (3), (2) AGGV 2003.029.005 &.006, 1988.037.009, 2003.029.004.002, 1988.037.012 13 Crossbow trigger-mechanism (note detail on top) Warring States period/western Han dynasty, 3rd 2nd century BCE Bronze with inlay of gold, height 11 cm, length 17.2 cm Tanenbaum 21020 AGGV 2007.005.466 14 Crossbow support brackets (found on war chariots) Bronze with traces of silver inlay, length 28 cm Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.013 15 Pair of rattles (possibly for chariots) Shang dynasty, 12th century BCE Bronze, height 15.4 cm Tanenbaum 20161 AGGV 2007.005.214 16 Horse frontlet? Shang dynasty, 12th 11th century, 1100 BCE Bronze, length of mouth 13.8 cm Ex Myron Falk Collection Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.007 a d 17 17 Pair of horse frontlets (chanfrons) Early Western Zhou dynasty, 11th 8th century BCE Bronze, height 19.6 cm Tanenbaum 20962 AGGV 2007.005.364
18 19 Inlaid Pieces 18 Fittings Bronze inlaid with silver, heights 8 cm, 8.3 cm, 3.2 cm Tanenbaum 21022, 21023, 21009 AGGV 2007.005.467, 2007.005.468, 2007.005.457 19 Fitting Bronze inlaid with silver, wood inside, length 11.7 cm Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.010 20 20 Ferrule Bronze inlaid with silver, length 11.2 cm From the Collection of Edith Low-Beer given by her daughter, AGGV 2005.001.001
21 22 23 24 25 Attachments and Other Items 21 Pair of taotie mask ringholder attachments Bronze, height 9.1 cm Tanenbaum 20952 AGGV 2007.005.353,.354 22 Pair of taotie mask attachments Gold, height 5.1 cm Tanenbaum 21112 AGGV 2007.005.521,.522 26 23 Three harness ornaments of crouching bears Warring States period/han period, 3rd 2nd century BCE Gilt bronze, diameter 2.5 cm Tanenbaum 21122 AGGV 2007.005.548,.549, 550 24 Pair of mat weights with feline attacking a bovine Han dynasty (206 BCE 220 CE) bronze, diameter 6.2 cm Tanenbaum 20992 AGGV 2007.005.440,.441 25 Mat weight with winged chimeras Han dynasty (206 BCE 220 CE) Bronze, diameter 7.2 cm Tanenbaum 20991 AGGV 2007.005.439 26 Mat weights in the form of a deer Han dynasty (206 BCE 220 CE) Bronze, one with cowrie shell, the other missing, lengths 10.5 and 9 cm Tanenbaum 20901, 20902 AGGV 2007.005.314,.315 27 27 Pair of birds from a money tree Han dynasty (206 BCE 220 CE) Bronze, heights 12.7 cm and 10.8 cm Tanenbaum 20931 AGGV 2007.005.333,.314
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32 Garment and Belt Hooks 28 Belt hook Gilt bronze, length 10.7 cm Tanenbaum 20533 AGGV 2007.005.265 29 Belt hook Gilt bronze with silver inlay, length 14.3 cm Tanenbaum 20511 AGGV 2007.005.251 33 30 Belt hook Bronze with silver inlay, length 13.1 cm Tanenbaum 20504 AGGV 2007.005.244 31 Belt hook Bronze with silver inlay, length 14.5 cm Tanenbaum 20506 AGGV 2007.005.246 32 Belt hook Bronze with gold inlay, length 7.2 cm Tanenbaum 20525 AGGV 2007.005.260 33 Belt hook Gilt bronze with turquoise inlay, length 19.5 Tanenbaum 20510 AGGV 2007.005.250 34 Belt hook Silver with turquoise inlay, length 7.7 cm Tanenbaum 20527 AGGV 2007.005.262 34 35 35 Belt hook Warring States Period (475 221 BCE) Gilt bronze, length 10.6 cm, width 6.9 cm Tanenbaum 20521 AGGV 2007.005.256
36b 36c 36a 36d 36e 36f 36 Belt hooks with zoomorphic designs of boar, rabbit, rhinoceros, winged chimera, deer (with gilt), tiger (6th 2nd century BCE) Warring States period/han dynasty, 4th 2nd century BCE Bronze, lengths 7.7, 4.4, 9.5, 10.1, 8.9, 6.2 cm Tanenbaum 20572, 20575, 20011, 20571, 20535, 20009 AGGV 2007.005.294,.267,.011,.293,.267,.009, 37 Belt hook with musicians Western Han dynasty (206 BCE 9 CE) Bronze, length 9.5 cm Tanenbaum 20561 AGGV 2007.005.284 37 38 Belt hook of man holding hook Han dynasty (206 BCE 220 CE) Bronze, length 6.2 cm Tanenbaum 20564 AGGV 2007.005.287
40 38 41 39 39 Belt hook with horse and rider Han dynasty (206 BCE 220 CE) Bronze, length 5.2 cm Tanenbaum 20566 AGGV 2007.005.260 40 Belt hook Bronze with gold, silver and turquoise inlay, length 18.3 cm Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.008 42 41 Belt hook Warring States/Western Han period, 3rd/2nd century BCE Gilt bronze with glass inlay, length 17 cm Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.009 42 Belt hook Warring States/Western Han period, 3rd/2nd century BCE Bronze with silver, copper and blue glass inlay, length 22 cm Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.020 43 43 Large belt hook Gilt bronze with gold and turquoise inlay, length 26.8 cm Isserstedt AGGV 2006.010.033 44 Belt hook Warring States/Western Han period, 4th 2nd century BCE Bronze with turquoise inlay and thin sheet of gold, length 15.1 cm McElney AGGV 1992.002.021 44
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Mirrors 45 Mirror Spring and Autumn/Warring States period, 6th 5th century BCE Bronze, diameter 9.9 cm Matheson AGGV 2007.006.006 46 Mirror Warring States period, 5th century BCE Bronze, diameter 9.4 cm Matheson AGGV 2007.006.002 47 Mirror Warring States Period, 3rd century BCE Bronze, diameter 11.3 cm Matheson AGGV 2007.006.007 46 48 Warring States period/western Han dynasty, 3rd 2nd century BCE Bronze, diameter 12 cm Matheson AGGV 2007.006.013 49 Mirror Western Han dynasty (206 BCE 8 CE) Bronze, diameter 14 cm Matheson AGGV 2007.006.008 50 Mirror Han dynasty, 1st century BCE 1st century CE Bronze, diameter 13.3 cm Matheson AGGV 2007.006.018 48 50
51 52 53 54 Nomadic Art 51 Stag plaque West Asia, Scythian, 6th 5th century BCE Gold, 2.2 x 2.3 cm Tanenbaum 21111 AGGV 2007.005.520 52 Plaque of animals in combat West Asia, Scythian, 6th 5th century BCE Gold, 2.3 x 2.8 cm Tanenbaum 21119 AGGV 2007.005.542 53 Horse plaque North China/Mongolia, 1st 2nd century CE Gilt bronze, 4.4 x 6.2 cm Tanenbaum 20058 AGGV 2007.005.072 55 56 54 Ibex plaque Mongolia/Eastern Siberia, 2nd 1st century BCE Gilt bronze, 2.6 x 3.7 cm Tanenbaum 20194 AGGV 2007.005.237 55 Feline over prey plaque North China, 5th century BCE Tinned bronze, 5.2 x 10.1 cm Tanenbaum 20056 AGGV 2007.005.070 56 Tiger carrying an equid North China, 3rd 2nd century BCE Bronze, 6 x 10 cm Tanenbaum 20052 AGGV 2007.005.065 57 57 Plaques of predator and prey (wolf attacking a mythical creature) Mongolia/North China, 3rd 2nd century BCE Bronze, 7.3 x 11.2 cm, 6.5 x 9.2 cm. Tanenbaum 20053, 20054 AGGV 2007.005.066,.067
58 59 60 58 Wild ass attachments North China, 6th 5th century BCE Bronze, 4.7 x 2.7 cm Tanenbaum 20092 AGGV 2007.005.144 59 Zoomorphic attachments North China, 6th 3rd century BCE Bronze, 2.2 x 3.9 cm; 3 x 4.9 cm; 2.7 x 4.7 cm Tanenbaum 20069, 20072, 20081 AGGV 2007.005.091,.094,.108 61 60 Rectangular plaque with Bactrian camels North China, 2nd 1st century BCE Gilt bronze, 5.3 x 10.9 cm Tanenbaum 20038 AGGV 2007.005.048 61 Rectangular Plaque with carnivore attacking stag Southern Siberia/North China, 2nd 1st century BCE Bronze, 5.5 x 10.4 cm Tanenbaum 20034 AGGV 2007.005.043 62 Pair of rectangular plaques of bovines North China, 3rd 2nd century BCE Bronze, 4.1 x 6.1 cm Tanenbaum 20043 AGGV 2007.005.054 63 Pair of rectangular plaques of a recumbent wolf, argali rams and gazelles North China (Xiongnu culture), 3rd 2nd century BCE Gilt bronze, 4.5 x 9.4 cm Tanenbaum 20022 AGGV 2007.005.020 64 Pair of rectangular plaques of beasts (wolves?) Northeast China, 3rd 2nd century BCE Gilt bronze, 5.9 x 9 cm Tanenbaum 20021 AGGV 2007.005.018 65 Pair of rectangular plaques of a bear and tiger attacking a creature Mongolia/North China, 4th 3rd century BCE Gilt bronze, 5.4 x 11.5 cm Tanenbaum 20027 AGGV 2007.005.030
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66 Yoke ornaments of reclining doe Northwest China, 5th 3rd century BCE Bronze, height 7.6 cm Tanenbaum 20132 AGGV 2007.005.189 67 Ram-head finial Northwest China, 4th 3rd century BCE Bronze, length 14.7 cm Tanenbaum 20160 AGGV 2007.005.213 66 68 Plaques of falconers (Xiongnu?) Han dynasty (206 BCE 220 CE) Gilt bronze, height 8.6 cm Menzies (3) AGGV 2003.029.028 67 68