History of Chinese Art

to communicate with Heaven

Questions were posed on the bones for

Heaven to answer. Once placed over a fire the bones would crack. Priest would interpret its meaning.

Thousands of these were discovered in burial tombs providing the earlier evidence of the Chinese written language

exquisite bronze vessels in the world

Technolgoically far superior to anything

in the world

Vessels used in ceremonies and as household containers

Taotie design

was a symbol of longevity

It was frequently used as jewelry

for rings, pendants, etc.

Jade was used in rites and rituals and often buried with high status individuals

Jade burial suits were common in Zhou and Han times. Jade squares were sewn together with gold thread to preserve the body

warriors, chariots and horses arranged in battle formations were found

in Xian in 1974 after local peasants were digging a well and pulled up pieces of the collection

These figures are believed to be an army symbolically guarding the Mausoleum of the Emperor

Three separate vaults have been discovered with more than 1,000 figures representing different types of troops- archers, charioteers, cavalrymen, and generals. They are all arrayed in battle formations.

The Chinese describe these as the Eights Wonder of the World