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Jade cup from 2,000 years ago decorated with exquisite carved patterns
Updated: Oct 24, 2023
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This stemmed jade cup, dating back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), has a deep belly. Its foot flares out like a trumpet to ensure its stability. Four bands of carved patterns decorate its outer wall, and from top to bottom are patterns of leaf, interlocked clouds, grains, geometric spirals and cloud heads.
Unearthed from the Epang Palace site in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, the cup is a fine example of jade artifacts of that period and provides a glimpse of court lifestyles from 2,000 years ago. It is now in the permanent collection of the Xi’an Museum.
