Past Exhibitions
- Mirrors of China and Japan
- January 2, 2019 - March 10, 2019
East Asian mirrors are generally cast of bronze, with a polished reflective front and a decorative back surrounding a central knob for a cord handle. Such objects originated in ancient China, where mirrors with intricate designs were produced in large quantities. Chinese mirrors first arrived in Japan during in the Yayoi period (ca. 5th c. BCE–ca. 3rd c. CE), treasured as sacred objects. This exhibit features twenty ancient Chinese mirrors made over a span of many centuries. In addition, it presents Japanese mirrors excavated from Kofun-period (ca. 3rd–6th century) tombs, which show Chinese influence. Also on display are a range of archaeological artifacts dating from Japan's Jōmon (pre-10,000–ca. 5th c. BCE) through the Kamakura (1185–1333) periods.
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