Technical features of a ninth-century silver vessel of southern China uncovered from Famen Monastery, Shaanxi province

Abstract

Silver art is an important feature of the Tang dynasty in China and the manufacturing center for silver shifted from north to south after the mid-eighth century CE. The typology, stylistics, and iconography of silver vessels from both regions have been studied in detail. However, their technical characteristics have rarely been discussed, in particular, those of the southern ones. The current study presents a non-invasive scientific analysis on a partially-gilded silver box from Jiangnanxidao of Tang (southern China), uncovered from the pagoda crypt of the Famen Monastery, Shaanxi province. The results reveal that the box was made of refined silver from cupellation, and composed of five pieces, brazed together with hard solder. Ag–Cu alloy was identified to braze the ring foot and the box bottom. Brazing, hammering, engraving, repoussé, chasing, punching, and partial fire-gilding were employed to shape and decorate the box. More strikingly, the comparative analysis of technical details between this southern box and the previously reported northern silver vessels demonstrates that the former is more precise. Moreover, the similarities in motif expressions of southern-origin silver vessels after the mid-eighth century CE and northern-origin silver vessels before the mid-eighth century CE reflect the inheritance of decorative style. These differences and inheritance indicate that southern artisans after the mid-eighth century CE inherited the decorative technology of the northern-origin silver vessels before the mid-eighth century CE and developed them to greater perfection. The current study presents novel insights into the silver technology of southern China during the late Tang dynasty.

Scientific Research on a Gold- and Silver-Inlaid Bronze Zun from the Han Dynasty

“…There are some studies on the gold and silver inlaying and gilding processes on bronze at home and abroad. Based on the available research, the basic steps of the gilding method used in different regions are approximately the same [14][15][16][17]. A study by Oddy et al on the composition of decoration on gold vessels, silver vessels, and bronze vessels from the ancient and medieval periods found that the statue of the Roman emperor Niello (1st century AD) was made of bronze.…”