The British Museum, London :: China--T'ang Period

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This material is dated to the T'ang Dynasty, 618-906 CE. It is displayed in Gallery 33. I have grouped the material by medium: ceramics, glass, metalwork. Other T'ang-era material will be found on the pages for the Inner Asian Silk Road sites.

Click on thumbnail for full view.

Two lokopalas (guardian figures).
Northern China, ca. 728. Supposedly from the tomb of Liu Tingxun (656-728), a lieutentant of Henan and Huainan districts and a privy councillor. Moulded, sancai glazed and painted earthenware.
OA 1936.10-22.222, 223
Camel mingqi (burial figurine).
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Moulded sancai-glazed and painted earthenware.
OA 1915.4-9.2
Figurine of a boy.
T'ang period, 7th-early-8th c. CE. Glazed pottery.
OA 1936.10-12.288
Figurine of dancer.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Earthenware, traces of paint.
OA 1973.7-26.193
Figurines of pedlars from the West.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Earthenware with traces of paint.
OA 1973.7-26.192; 1936.10-12.56
For more, see text and image.
Rytons (drinking vessels) in form of an elephant and a duck.
North Central China, T'ang period, 7th-early 8th c. CE. Moulded sancai-glazed and painted earthenware.
OA 1936.10-12.30; 1937.7-16.34
Rhyton.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1947.7-12.22
Figurine of lion.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Glazed earthenware.
OA 1937.7-16.43
Lion figurine.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1937.7-16.26
Cup.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1947.7-12.25
Ewer.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1936.10-12.31
Pilgrim flask.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware. Shown next to unglazed pilgrim flask possibly from Nimrud, N. Iraq, 2nd c. BCE, the generic form of which may have served as a model for the Chinese ceramic flasks.
OA 1936.10-12.253
Pilgrim flasks.
North Central China, Norther Qi to T'ang periods, late 6th-8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1949.10-10.1; 1936.10-12.3; 1936.10-12.243
Cf. analogous green-glazed pilgrim flask but with different design, in the Museum of Asian Art, Berlin, Inv. Nr. 1958-6.
Two miniature pilgrim flasks.
North Central China, T'ang period, 7th or early 8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1938.5-24.7; 1937.7-16.146
Two ewers.
North Central China, T'ang period, 7th or early 8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1936.10-12.1; 1936.10-12.209
Flower-shaped cup.
North Central China, T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Moulded, lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1930.7-191.50
Quatrefoil oval bowl.
North Central China, T'ang period. Moulded, lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 11994.6-2.1
Quatrefoil oval bowl.
North China, T'ang or Liao periods, 9th c. or 10th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware with moulded fish-dragon in center.
OA 1936.10-12.2
Based on a gold prototype; form also known in Ding-ware porcelain.
Covered box.
North Central China, T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Glazed earthenware with resist designs on blue ground. The shape follows that of metalwork.
OA 1947.7-12.32
Two bowls.
T'ang period, 7th-8th c. CE. Lead-glazed earthenware.
OA 1935.10-23.1; 1947.7-12.44
Dish.
T'ang period, 9th c. CE. Porcelain.
OA 1976.11-3.1
Bowl.
T'ang period, 7th-8th c. CE. Glass.
OA 1940.12-14.108
Ovoid jar with lid.
T'ang period, 7th-8th c. CE. Glass.
OA 1938.5-24.302
Plaque with moulded figure of the Buddha.
T'ang period, 8th-9th c. CE. Glass.
OA 1938.5-24.285
The bodhisattva Avalokitshvara.
T'ang period, 7th-8th c. CE. Gilt bronze.
OA 1970.11-4.2
Miniature altar with seated buddha and guardians.
T'ang period, 8th-9th c. CE. Gilt bronze.
OA 1963.2-12.1
Seated Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the Future).
T'ang period, 8th-9th c. CE. Gilt bronze.
OA 1985.5-10.2
Stem cup decorated with hunting scenes.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Silver.
OA 1968.4-22.10
View images and text for two other lovely examples of Tang metalwork from the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Stem cup.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Gilt bronze.
OA 1936.11-18.130
Bowl decorated with plants and animals.
T'ang period, 8th c. CE. Silver with gilt.
OA 1968.4-22.11
Foliated dish with relief decoration.
T'ang period, 9th-10th c. CE. From hoard found at Beihuangshan, Shaanxi province. Silver with gilt.
OA 1926.3-19.12
Bowl decorated with birds and flowers.
T'ang period, 9th c.-10th CE. From hoard found at Beihuangshan, Shaanxi province. Silver with gilt.
OA 1926.3-19
Lobed cup.
T'ang period.
OA 1923.1-20.2
Two lobed cups.
T'ang period, 9th c.-10th CE. From hoard found at Beihuangshan, Shaanxi province. Silver with gilt.
OA 1926.3-19.4, 6
Ewer.
T'ang period, 9th c.-10th CE. From hoard found at Beihuangshan, Shaanxi province. Silver.
OA 1926.3-19.3