'Time-traveling' cup found in 2,000-year-old tomb

Since ancient times, people have often buried funerary objects in tombs. If the owner of the tomb is a person of high status, the burial objects are naturally very rich and valuable. This creates an attraction for grave robbers and many people who trade in cultural relics.

However, in reality, there are strange objects with normal appearance but unexpectedly are rare treasures of thousands of years. The story below is a proof.

In October 1990, in Shitang Village, Banshan Town, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province (China), a worker at a brick factory accidentally discovered several small holes while collecting soil and fired bricks. The workers in the factory suspected that there might be an ancient tomb underneath these holes, so they reported it to the authorities. After that, the cultural heritage management agency sent archeological experts to the area to conduct investigation and research.

The ancient tomb was discovered in the grounds of a brick factory in Zhejiang province. (China).

As a result, archaeologists discovered that beneath some small holes in the factory grounds there were ancient tombs dating back to the Warring States period.

In this ancient tomb, there are many valuable burial objects such as jade, precious stones, etc. This shows that the owner of the tomb must not be an ordinary person. Unfortunately, this tomb was violated by grave robbers and some important clues were stolen. Therefore, experts cannot accurately determine the true identity of the tomb owner.

During the search for clues, based on the half-life of radioactive carbon on the wooden stick in the tomb, experts concluded that this was an ancient tomb belonging to the late Warring States period (around 250 BC).

Archaeologists discovered an object resembling a modern-day water cup in an ancient tomb.

The experts then proceeded to classify and collect the cultural relics in the tomb. At this time, the archaeologists discovered a shiny object on the ground. It appeared to be a glass object. When the experts got closer, it turned out to be a modern-day glass cup.

At first, some experts thought it was just a cup that grave robbers left behind after drinking water. However, others said that this was not a simple object and needed to be studied more carefully.

After the research, the results were beyond imagination. The cup above is not an ordinary modern object. Specifically, this cup dates back more than 2,000 years ago. This important discovery has brought important clues to researchers, shocking the archaeological community.

The cup that looks like a modern object is actually a crystal treasure made more than 2,000 years ago.

According to experts, the cup in this tomb is made of natural crystal, 15.4 cm high, 7.8 cm in diameter, and 5.4 cm in diameter at the bottom. The cup from the Warring States period surprised many people because although it looked simple overall and had no decorative patterns, this treasure emitted an amber light, unlike a normal cup.

This is a testament to the master craftsmanship of the craftsmen who crafted the cup more than 2,000 years ago.

Experts estimate that it would take today's craftsmen many years to make a crystal cup from the Warring States period.

Debate over 2,000-year-old treasure

The Warring States period cup is very delicately crafted.

The crystal cup in the Warring States period tomb has experts debating three difficult-to-explain mysteries.

First, the method of making. According to experts, this cup is made from a single piece of crystal. So, how did craftsmen more than 2,000 years ago hollow it out? How to turn a block of crystal into a cup of water? Experts believe that it is likely that ancient craftsmen used a method similar to that used to make jade.

Second, the polishing problem. Despite spending more than 2,000 years in an ancient tomb, this crystal cup has both a smooth surface and an inner wall as smooth as jade. Polishing the outside is not difficult, but the inside of the cup is not simple. So, how did the craftsmen polish this antique?

Third, the raw materials. At first, no one asked where the raw materials for making this cup came from. However, after the cup became famous, it attracted the attention of many people in society. Experts from the Department of Geology and Mineral Resources of Zhejiang Province believe that China does not have crystal with such high quality and purity? Therefore, many experts speculate that the raw materials for making the cup that is more than 2,000 years old may come from an exhausted crystal mine or be a tribute from abroad.

The Warring States period crystal cup is currently on display at the Hangzhou Museum.

The crystal cup has been recognized as a national treasure and is currently kept and displayed at the Hangzhou Museum. This cup is a unique product among national treasures. To be able to use this precious crystal cup during the Warring States period, of course its owners must have had extremely noble backgrounds.

Because antiques made of crystal are so rare, the more than 2,000-year-old cup was included in the list of cultural treasures banned from being exhibited abroad in 2002.