A Ming Dynasty Gold Hairpin

A golden cicada on a jade leaf – a Chinese lady’s hairpin unearthed from a Ming Dynasty tomb in Suzhou.

COMMENTS FROM MINDS

DEC 2019

soxfan1957
What woman would want bugs in her hair?

Eric
That is pretty cool though, and I am guessing the cicada might be something of “good luck or fertility” in Chinese folklore? Maybe.

All Things Chinese
Cicada has the same pronunciation as chan (origin of zen). Journey to the West describes monk Tang Sanzang, Monkey King’s master, as a reincarnated golden cicada.

A Ming Dynasty Golden Crown

An emperor’s crown made of gold was unearthed from Emperor Wanli’s (1573-1620) tomb in northwest Beijing.

A Ming Dynasty Gold Ornament

A royal decorative ornament in the image of a dragon made of gold and precious stones was unearthed from a Ming Emperor’s tomb in Beijing.

A Ming Dynasty Gold Hairpin

This gold hairpin was unearthed from a Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) tomb.

Ming Dynasty Golden Cutlery

A spoon and a pair of chopsticks, both made of gold, were unearthed from a Ming royal tomb in Beijing.

Ming Dynasty Golden Vases

500-year-old decorative vases made of gold were unearthed from a Ming prince’s tomb in Hubei Province.

A Song Dynasty Gold Bar

An ancient Chinese gold bar used during the South Song Dynasty (1127–1279)

A Song Dynasty Gold Plate 

This gold plate was unearthed from a Song Dynasty (960 – 1276) bomb.

A Tang Dynasty Gold Cicada 

A gold cicada was unearthed from a Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) bomb.

It’s a collection of the Shaanxi Museum.

A Tang Dynasty (618-907) Gold Ingot

Gold ingots were not issued by governments but cast by individual silversmiths. Their value was determined by their weight.

A Han Dynasty Gold Seal Stamp

This seal stamp made of gold was unearthed from the tomb of an East Han (25-220) prince. It weighs 122.8g and measures 2.3cm x 2.3cm, with a total height of 2.1cm.

The front of the golden seal stamp that belonged to an East Han Dynasty prince

A Beast Statue of the West Han Dynasty Containing 99% of Gold

This cat-like golden creature was unearthed in 1982 in Jiangsu Province from a bomb dating back at least 2,000 years ago during the West Han Dynasty.

The artefact weighing 9.1 kg measures 17.5 cm long and 16 cm wide.

What’s truly incredible about this golden object is that it contains 99% of gold. Mind, a gold bar in 24 carats, containing 99.9% gold, is the purest gold we can get so far.

A West Han Dynasty Gold Bar

This gold bar, carved with images of camels and a tree, was earthed from a tomb dating back to the Autumn Spring Period (770-476BC) or West Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD).

A West Han Dynasty Gold Horse Head

A gold bar with a duck head was cast during Autumn Spring Period (770-476BC) or West Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD)

A West Han Dynasty Gold Horse Head

A block of gold in the image of a bird was cast during the Autumn Spring Period (770-476BC) or West Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD).

A Gold Dog of the Autumn Spring Era 

A block of gold in the image of a celestial dog was cast during Autumn Spring Era (770-476BC) or West Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD).

A Gold Multicon from the Autumn Spring Era

A block of gold in the image of a Chinese multi-con (麒麟) with the beak of a phoenix was cast during Autumn Spring (770-476BC) or West Han (206BC-24AD).

An Unidentifiable Gold Creature of the Autumn Spring Era 

An ancient block of gold in the image of an unidentifiable creature was cast during Autumn Spring (770-476BC) or West Han (206BC-24AD).

A Pair of Gold Pieces from the Autumn-Spring Period 

These pieces of gold were unearthed from a tomb dating back to an era between the Autumn Spring Period (770BC-476BC) and West Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD).

A West Zhou Dynasty Gold Scabbard

A sword scabbard made of gold, unearthed from a tomb dating back to the West Zhou era (1046 BC–771 BC)

A Shang Dynasty Gold Sheet 

A decorative gold leaf with images of four sunbirds was unearthed in 2001 in Sichuan Province from a Shang Dynasty (1600 BC -1046 BC) archaeological site.

The pattern in the middle shall represent 12 months while four birds flying along the edge should be the symbols of 4 seasons.

The sheet is found to contain 94.2% of gold, unearthed in 2001 from Sichuan.

A Shang Dynasty Golden Mask

A mask, made of gold, was unearthed in 2001 in Sichuan Province from a Shang Dynasty (1600 BC -1046 BC) archaeological site.