Bronze Mirror 銅鏡
bronze, 12.7cm diameter, Eastern Han dynasty 东汉 (25–220AD), China 中國
cat# 140198
The central knob surrounded by stylized dragons and a band enclosing a lengthy inscription in seal script, all further surrounded by various bands with geometric patterns.
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.