Since ancient times, it has been common to bury objects as grave goods. If the owner of the tomb held a high status, the items buried with them would naturally be rich and valuable. This has created a lure for tomb robbers and many cultural relic traders.
However, in reality, there are strange objects that appear ordinary but are unexpectedly rare treasures thousands of years old. The following story is a testament to this.
In October 1990, in Shihuang Village, Banshan Town, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province (China), a worker at a brick factory accidentally discovered several small pits while collecting soil and bricks. The workers suspected that there might be an ancient tomb beneath these pits, so they reported it to the authorities. Subsequently, cultural heritage management sent archaeological experts to the area to investigate and study.
The ancient tomb discovered within a brick factory in Zhejiang Province, China.
As a result, the archaeological experts found that beneath several small pits in the factory’s courtyard lay an ancient tomb originating from the Warring States period.
This ancient tomb contained many valuable grave goods such as jade and gemstones… This indicates that the owner of the tomb was certainly not an ordinary person. Unfortunately, the tomb had been violated by tomb robbers who had stolen some important clues. Thus, experts could not accurately identify the true identity of the tomb’s owner.
In the process of searching for clues and based on the radiocarbon dating of a wooden beam found in the tomb, experts concluded that this was a tomb belonging to the late Warring States period (around 250 BC).
Archaeologists discovered an object resembling a modern drinking cup in the ancient tomb.
Subsequently, the experts sorted and collected the cultural relics from the tomb. At that moment, they noticed a shiny object on the ground. It appeared to be made of glass. As the expert approached, it turned out to resemble a modern glass cup.
Initially, some experts believed it was merely a cup left behind by the tomb robbers after drinking water. However, others argued that this object was not simple and required further thorough investigation.
After research, the results were truly astonishing. The cup was not an ordinary modern object. Specifically, this cup dates back over 2,000 years. This important discovery provided significant clues for researchers and shocked the archaeological community.
The cup that looks like a modern object is actually a treasure made of crystal over 2,000 years ago.
According to experts, the cup in this tomb is made of natural crystal, measuring 15.4 cm in height, 7.8 cm in diameter, and a base diameter of 5.4 cm. The cup from the Warring States period surprises many because, although it appears overall simple and lacks decorative patterns, this treasure emits an amber light, unlike ordinary cups.
This is evidence of the master craftsmanship of the artisans who created the cup over 2,000 years ago.
Experts estimate that modern craftsmen would need many years to produce a crystal cup as they did in the Warring States period.
Debate Over the 2,000-Year-Old Treasure
The Warring States period cup was crafted with great intricacy.
The crystal cup in the Warring States tomb has sparked debate among experts regarding three puzzling mysteries.
First, the crafting method. According to experts, this cup was made from a solid piece of crystal. So, how did artisans over 2,000 years ago hollow it out? How did they transform a block of crystal into a drinking cup? Experts believe that ancient craftsmen likely applied a method similar to jade crafting.
Second, the polishing issue. Despite spending over 2,000 years in an ancient tomb, this crystal cup has both a surface and interior that are as smooth as jade. Polishing the exterior is not difficult, but achieving that on the inside of the cup is no simple task. So, how did these artisans polish this ancient artifact?
Third, the material. Initially, no one questioned where the material for this cup came from. However, after the cup gained fame, it attracted interest from many in society. Experts from the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Geology and Mineral Resources believe that China does not possess crystal of such high quality and purity. Therefore, many experts speculate that the material for the over 2,000-year-old cup could have come from a depleted crystal mine or as 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 preserved and exhibited at the Hangzhou Museum. This cup is a unique product among national treasures. To possess such a valuable crystal cup during the Warring States period, its owners must have held an extremely noble status.
Due to the scarcity of artifacts made from crystal, the over 2,000-year-old cup was listed among cultural treasures prohibited from being exhibited abroad in 2002.
