Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
The back of this mirror shows a diagram of the universe. The concentric rings and swirling cloud band border represent heaven, while the square field around the knob designates the earth. The four directional spirits in the form of animals occupy the space between heaven and earth and are cast in fine lines between the band of swirling clouds and outside the square: the tiger guarding the west, the dragon protecting the east, the red bird representing the south, and the snake-entwined turtle guarding the north.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
159110
label
TLV Mirror with Four Spirits and Companions
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
159110
contentType
object
title
TLV Mirror with Four Spirits and Companions
description
The back of this mirror shows a diagram of the universe. The concentric rings and swirling cloud band border represent heaven, while the square field around the knob designates the earth. The four directional spirits in the form of animals occupy the space between heaven and earth and are cast in fine lines between the band of swirling clouds and outside the square: the tiger guarding the west, the dragon protecting the east, the red bird representing the south, and the snake-entwined turtle guarding the north.
date
9–100 CE
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79978207
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diameter: 19 cm (7 1/2 in.); Overall: 1.2 cm (1/2 in.); Rim: 0.7 cm (1/4 in.)
cul
China, Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE)
accession
1995.301
Source extras
tec
bronze
tombstone
TLV Mirror with Four Spirits and Companions (四神博局式青铜鏡), 9–100 CE. China, Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE). Bronze; diameter: 19 cm (7 1/2 in.); overall: 1.2 cm (1/2 in.); rim: 0.7 cm (1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee, 1995.301
titleInOriginalLanguage
四神博局式青铜鏡
collection
China - Han Dynasty
inscriptions
inscription
The inscription is limited to the area within the central square and among the smaller nipples. It is the zodiac series.
citations
citation
Chou, Ju-hsi. <em>Circles of reflection: the Carter collection of Chinese bronze mirrors</em>. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000.
page_number
Reproduced: cat. no. 26, pp. 43-44, 106, 115
creditline
Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:14:22.853000
sourceId
159110
dept
Chinese Art
coll
China - Han Dynasty
med
bronze
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
57c990d9b71b8a78