seal with turtle standing on top of plain, undecorated platform; turtle looking straight up

Official Seal, 2nd century BCE- 2nd century CE

Unknown artist, expand_more

Gilt bronzeexpand_more

Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more  2000.34.2

The knob of this seal as well as its inscription indicate that it was used to stamp official documents. During the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1050 BCE), tortoise shells were used in divination rituals, in which a hot poker was applied to the shell until it cracked. The cracks were then interpreted by a shaman to communicate with gods and foretell the future. Tortoises are also thought of as symbols of longevity and tenacity, and thus were considered auspicious beings. Tortoise knob seals were used by officials during the Han dynasty, as evidenced by several examples bearing official inscriptions that were excavated from Han tombs. This seal bears the inscription Taishou zhang (“the governor’s seal”), indicating that it was the seal of a governor, or taishou.

Details
Title
Official Seal
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2000.34.2
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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seal with turtle standing on top of plain, undecorated platform; turtle looking straight up