China boasts of the systematic use of some of the most complex articles in the ancient era. The ancient China artifacts have always been a source of wonder for archeologists, researchers and scholars.
Brief History of Ancient China Artifacts
The ancient Chinese dynasties used a wide range of artifacts made of various materials in their daily life. Some of the major artifacts are as follows:
Ancient China Artifacts – Pottery
The most recent archeology excavation conducted in June 2009 revealed evidence of oldest known pottery ever known from the Chinese province of Hunan. This pottery evidence is approximately 17,500 to 18,300 years old.
In fact, by 1800 AD, China had some of the most sophisticated and beautiful forms of pottery. Porcelain has been used since ancient times in China for making various porcelain wares. These included porcelain vases, porcelain bowls, beautiful decorative plates, tea cups and tea pots, medicine bottles, and ink pots.
Artifacts made in ancient China from metal like bronze too were widely prevalent in ancient China. Articles like brooches, pendants and shadow boxes date back to 300BC. The use of ceramic too can be traced back to 200 BC and articles like glazed ear cup bowls and handicrafts.
Jade artifacts too were a mainstay of ancient China and numerous jewelry and articles made of jade have been recovered from several excavations. The first jade artifacts date back to as early as 7000 BC.
Also, there are a plethora of artifacts made from clay and terracotta that were prominently used in ancient China. The Shang dynasty can be credited with using bronze greatly for creating various artifacts.
Coins – Ancient China Artifacts:
The use of coins as means for monetary transactions began in 361 BC under King Hsiao. However, it was during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (250-210 BC) that coin usage was standardized. It was during Shi Huang’s reign that spade coins, knife coins, and cowry shells were used.
Silk – Ancient Chinese Artifacts:
Silk was yet another prized possession of ancient China and the Silk Route that was used to transport silk to the west is legendary. Silk was used to make royal robes, caps and other pieces of attire and was considered very exotic, especially embroidered silk fabrics.
These are some of the most prominent artifacts of ancient China that still continue to be of interest to historians and people.