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Slithering into history: Legacy of snake artifacts
Slithering into history: Legacy of snake artifacts
Bronze sword blade and its bronze scabbard adorned with openwork snake motifs
Updated: Mar 27, 2025
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This bronze sword dates back to the early Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BC), with a willow-leaf-shaped blade and a hilt designed to be wrapped in wood and fabric for grip. Its scabbard is made of bronze, adorned with intricate openwork snake motifs, which is a rare feature. It may have been owned by a high-ranking noble.
Unearthed in Fangshan district, Beijing, this sword is one of the earliest known bronze swords from the Central Plain culture and is now housed in the Capital Museum.
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