A gilded silver perfume holder of the Tang Dynasty.

    Production of gold and silver articles in China dates back to the Shang-Zhou period, but so far archeologists have been able to find only a limited number of earrings and other small personal ornaments produced at the time. Relatively large gold and silver articles did not appear until the Warring States period. One example is a gold cup with a lid, along with a gold spoon in it, which was unearthed from the tomb of a duke in Suixian County, Hubei Province. We have to note that gold and silver articles produced before the Han Dynasty are exceptionally rare. Gold was circulated as an instrument of payment. Nevertheless, we do find bronze vessels with gold decorations or with their surface gilded or inlaid with patterns of gold thread. This state of affairs did not change much even during the Han Dynasty.

Picture Shows
a Pot and a
table spoon,
period, which
were unearthed
from the tomb
of a duke at
Suixian. Hubei
Province.