Discovered pure gold buttons in a 2,000-year-old tomb

Archaeologists found 9 small gold ornaments in the Qin Dynasty tombs that were made with high technology.

Scientists unearthed nine small button-like ornaments made of pure gold in a mausoleum in Xianyang, northwest China's Shaanxi province, Global Times reported on November 26. These artifacts are said to exist from the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BC). They are scattered inside one of the 6 ancient tombs discovered under the city renovation plan that took place in August.

The yellow buttons are very small, but the details on them are created using a special welding technique in West Asia. "This welding technique developed in the Mesopotamian civilization. Therefore, its appearance in Qin Dynasty gold utensils shows that the Qin people had contact with Western Asian cultures," said Zhao Xuyang, Archaeological team leader of Ham Duong Institute of Archeology, said.

Experts believe that the nine yellow buttons are most likely clothing accessories. Detecting them could help them understand the cultural and commercial exchanges between the East and the West that took place before the Silk Road was formed. "They help us explore the cultural exchange between China and the western region and explore ways of communication," added Zhao.

The newly unearthed golden button has many fine details.

The nine newly unearthed golden buttons feature many fine details, such as teardrop-like motifs and rope-like embossments. The intricate manufacturing process shows that Qin craftsmanship, especially the use of gold, thrived.

Gold objects first appeared in the Shang Dynasty (circa 1600 - 1046 BC). "Gold and silverware appeared in the middle period of the Shang Dynasty, but it was mainly putting gold on something or wrapping gold in something else. This is completely different from high-tech gold soldering," Zhao said. explain.

Zhao also said that the discovery of a "culture of learning from elsewhere" at the Qin mausoleum may reflect an open mind and a pragmatic spirit in accepting new things.