Sword
CultureChinese
Date5th century B.C.E.
MediumBronze inlaid with gold and turquoise
DimensionsOverall: 7 × 22 × 2 × 1 1/2 inches (17.78 × 55.88 × 5.08 × 3.81 cm)
Credit LineLent by The Robert Tang Family Trust
Object number8.2008.2
On View
On viewGallery Location
DescriptionHas original inner fabric-wrapped box and outer box with sliding topGallery Label- 232
By the fifth century B.C.E. swords had become widespread, both as weapons and as symbols of status. This sword was probably cast using two different alloys: a high-copper alloy for the spine and handle to give it tensile strength, and a high-tin alloy for a sharp cutting edge. Turquoise, gold and originally a silk binding on the hilt transformed the weapon into a luxury item. The inlaid gold inscription on both sides of the blade reads: “On the auspicious renwu day, made for righteous use. Pure gold covers the spine. I myself have named it Little X.”
Lent by The Robert Tang Family Trust to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 2008.
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