Pole Top with Double Bird-Shaped Bell (one of pair)
6th/4th century B.C.
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
18.8 × 10.5 cm (7 7/16 × 4 1/8 in.)
Classification
bronze
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
24098
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Bronze sculptures of real and imaginary animals are generally known as "Ordos" after the Ordos Desert in which they were first discovered in the early twentieth century. This northern and northwestern frontier of China—which also includes the forests and grasslands of present-day Inner Mongolia, Outer Mongolia, southern Siberia, and parts of Central Asia—was occupied by hunting and herding tribes during the first millennium B.C. The precise ethnic identities of most of these tribes are unknown; ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...