Chinese, Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 9)
Gilded bronze with cowrie shells, 3.7 in long
Michael and Sonja Koerner, Toronto
Deer were frequently hunted by early Chinese kings and emperors. The animals were closely associated with prosperity and immortality.
If not for the antlers, one might think that these animals were tortoises (there are tortoise-shaped mat weights made is similar fashion). But the cowrie shells aptly imitate the hide of a spotted deer, showing the ingenuity of the Han artist. The antlers hold the shells in place on bases made of bronze.
