Ring-pommel horn knife- Hunan Museum
Home Mawangdui Artifacts Ring-pommel horn knife
Ring-pommel horn knife
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Date:Western Han (206 BCE-9 CE)
Medium:Horn

Dimensions:Weight: 7 grams; length: 21cm; width: 0.6cm; thickness: 0.3cm

Origin:Three ring-pommel horn knifes were unearthed from Tomb 1 at Mawangdui in 1972

When unearthed,the knife was placed inside the lacquer box with five small boxes. The knife has no bing (decorative object on the sheath).

According to historical records, apart from small knives for practical use, women in ancient times also carried fake knives called rong knife (literally “appearance” knife). One chi (Chinese traditional unit of length) in the Han Dynasty was equivalent to the present-day 22 centimeters. None of the four small knives with ring-ended handle unearthed from the Han tombs at Mawangdui is as long as one chi, so they should be rong knives or decorative sword worn at the waist. 

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