Bronze Mirror with Football Design
Date: Song Dynasty (960-1127AD)
Place: Changsha, China
Diameter: 11cm
This mirror has a smooth surface. On its back is a relief ornament depicting a scene of playing football. Apart from a couple of football players, there are also a referee and audience. Everyone’s costume and movement are vividly portrayed in the picture.
深入探索
Bronze Mirrors have been used in China for nearly 4,000 years and become an indispensible part of Chinese life and culture. Every dynasty in Chinese history produced its own type of bronze mirrors with some distinctive characteristics.
Among all the bronze mirrors of different dynasties in China, the bronze mirrors of Song Dynasty (960-1127AD) are the richest in shape, which includes square, rectangle, lozenge, campaniform, scutiform and heart shapes apart from round ones.
In ancient China, playing football is called “Cu-ju”, which is considered the original form of modern football game.
