Bronze Mirror
bronze, 12.7cm diameter, Tang dynasty 唐 (618–907), China 中國
cat# 140199
Cast with lions and grape vines encircling the central knob, surrounded by a similar band incorporating birds, divided from each other by geometric bands.
During the Han and Tang Dynasties Chinese women used silvered bronze mirrors. The front of the mirror was polished until a woman could see her reflection. The mirrors were held by a cord that ran through the knob on the back. The mirror was placed on a lacquer or bronze stand. Glass was not utilized for mirrors in China until the 20th century.