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The earliest bronze drum in China
Updated: Sep 5, 2023
govt.chinadaily.com.cn
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The Chongyang bronze drum, currently the earliest-known bronze drum in China, consists of three parts: the drum body, the base and the crown. Except the circular drum surface, the drum is decorated with the square-spiral pattern and the “nipple” pattern popular during the late period of the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC). It is the only bronze drum preserved from that period, reflecting the craftsmanship of the time.
Discovered in Chongyang county, Xianning city, Hubei province, in 1977, the bronze drum is a treasure from the collection of the Hubei Provincial Museum.
