What kind of crown did princes of the Ming Dynasty wear?
What kind of crown did princes of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) wear? The nine-string mian (crown) provides some clues.As the most important ritual crown in the Ming Dynasty clothing system, the "mian" is woven from cane with black paint and gold decor. A black plank is attached to its top, adorned with nine front and back strings. Each string contains nine beads in red, white, green, yellow, and black colors.Unearthed from the tomb of Zhu Tan, Prince of Lu of the Ming Dynasty in Zoucheng, Shandong province, in 1971, the crown is considered one of the archeological treasures housed at
One of the oldest geocentric solar system models discovered in Armenia
In the 1950s, archaeologists discovered the unique bronze model of the solar system dated back 12-11th centuries BCE in the Sevan basin in Armenia. This is one of the oldest geocentric solar system models preserved nowadays. The artifact is currently housed at the History Museum of Armenia.Inside the circles at the bottom, there is a symbol of hatchet, which symbolizes the Earth in astronomy. Around this hatchet, one can see two circles; presumably, one stands for the sphere of water and the other for the atmosphere surrounding the Earth. The Sun is above them all.Similar to the majority of the
The rare Tang dynasty ceramic drum
This black-glazed ceramic waist drum with azure-glaze decor, an example of Lushan ware from the Tang Dynasty, unveils what the Tang dynasty (618-907) musical instruments look like.This type of drum, introduced from Central Asia to China, was initially made of wood and animal skin. It has two wide sides and seven raised string patterns on its body. Its smooth lines, color, and structure make it a rare ceramic piece.As the only complete Lushan waist drum in the Palace Museum’s collection, it provides essential information for research on ancient Chinese music.
The famous Chinese actress wearing the elegant gown by the Lebanese-Armenian designer
Krikor Jabotian Qiu Tian, the well-known Chinese model, and actress attended the red carpet in Shanghai, China, on November 6, 2022, in a vintage blue Krikor Jabotian gown graced by a silky romantic bow accompanied by a dramatic bolero. The Lebanese-Armenian Krikor Jabotian started his atelier at the age of 23. Six years on, he’s built a solid reputation for his luxurious haute couture designs that have just gone global. Krikor Jabotian hit the international headlines in 2016 when American actress Regina King was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her role in ABC’s
The Chinese reverse glass diptych of the mother and her child: the West meets the East
"Sotheby's" has recently represented a Chinese reverse glass painting - a diptych entitled “ A mother and a child” (reverse glass painting diptych, China for the European market, Qing dynasty, 18th century). The right wing represents the mother-and-a-child theme through the two-figure composition of a Chinese woman and her son draped in traditional Chinese costumes and accessories in the landscape setting inspired by Chinese ink paintings. The left wing demonstrates the Western influence in terms of costumes and facial features of the figures, resembling the Virgin-with-child-Jesus theme, portrayed against the backdrop with a European-style castle. Reverse glass paintings occupy a
