7th-9th century
China
Object qualities
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Object
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumGold
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SizeH. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); Diam. 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm)
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Geography details
China -
Country today
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Date7th-9th century
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CultureChina (Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Central Asia)
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PeriodPeriod of Tibetan Empire
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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The nomadic communities of Central Asia used such plaques to embellish clothing and horse trappings. As these nomadic cultures herded animals and were constantly moving, their artistic production was expressed in portable objects that marked the wearer’s status and wealth. The outstanding preservation of these fragile ornaments suggests they were used in conjunction with burials, where the body was aggrandized with valuable textiles and augmented with gold. Although it is difficult to date and place these objects geographically, their presence in Central Asia and has a long, established history.