Han Dynasty Bronze Personal Seal (Yin), Ram Figure

East Asia, China, Han Dynasty. A personal seal cast in leaded bronze, with a square matrix surmounted by a zoomorphic handle in the form of a recumbent ram. The animal's legs are folded beneath a rounded body, with the head lifted and muzzle blunt. The surface carries earthen accretion and green cupric corrosion. The underside of the seal carries the intaglio seal face, pressed into damp clay to authenticate documents or mark property. Seals of this type, known as yin, were carried by administrators, merchants, and private individuals within the Han bureaucracy. The ram motif has been associated with auspicious symbolism, as the word for sheep, yang, was a homophone associated with concepts of prosperity in Chinese tradition. Please note that this seal contains up to 36% lead. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 204079

Estimate:£372.22

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