funerary object
Object NameCicada-Shaped Mouthpiece
Made FromGlass
Date206 BCE-220 CE
Place MadeChina
TechniqueCast, carved
SizeOverall H: 5.3 cm, W: 3 cm
Accession Number51.6.558
Curatorial Area(s)
On ViewAncient Gallery
Interpretive Notes仿玉玻璃晗 Cicadas made from jade or glass were placed on the mouth of the corpse for burial during the Han Dynasty. Glass was used as a substitute for jade. Cicadas symbolize rebirth because they are resurrected every 13 or 17 years. Other openings on the body were also covered or plugged in order to protect the body from corruption.
Provenance
Source
R. B. Gump
- 1951-04-04
There are no works to discover for this record.