China, Warring States period (475–221 BCE) / 300s BCE
Mirror with Four T's
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Mirror with Four T's as metalwork (China, Warring States period (475–221 BCE) · 300s BCE).
The prominent T's on this mirror represent four gates in Chinese mythology that relate to transformation.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this metalwork as bronze.
The museum's collection notes: The symbolic significance of the ancient Chinese mirror lies in its circular form and reflective quality that make it resemble the sun and the moon. "By the light of the sun, the world is made bright," so said a mirrorsmith. When the mirror was taken with its owner for use in the afterlife, it reflected the soul and brought eternal brightness to the next world.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtMirror with Four T'sOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.