12.C Material Evidence: Lacquerware

Abstract

Besides transmitted and excavated texts, a vast amount of material evidence is available for the study of the economic history of early imperial China, ranging from numismatic sources to settlement archaeology. Instead of giving a cursory overview of all the various kinds of material evidence, this section will provide an extended introduction to one specific type of material object, that is, lacquerware (qiqi 漆器). Lacquer objects from the Han 漢 period (206 –220 ) are of particular value for economic history in several regards: Firstly, lacquer objects were unique to China for the period under consideration. Secondly, they serve as crucial evidence for local economic production processes. Thirdly, they constitute one of the most illuminating indicators of long-distance exchange across Eurasia. And fourthly, large quantities of lacquer objects have been unearthed during the last few years. These new finds, parts of which still await complete publication, leave ample room for future research, especially with regard to interdisciplinary approaches and the study of long-distance exchange networks. Tombs of the elite in the Han period were typically conceived of and designed as afterlife dwellings for the deceased, in which discrete chambers (such as private chambers, a main hall, or a kitchen) held various kinds of objects associated with their respective functions. The deceased were accordingly equipped with items they would need to throw lavish banquets, for which the use of exquisite tableware was regarded essential. In many of these tombs, individual pieces or whole sets of lacquer tableware therefore make up typical components of the tomb inventory.1 The most common Han-period lacquer objects that have been discovered include various types of cups (especially ‘eared cups,’ erbei 耳杯, i.e., oval cups with handles, fig. 1a) and platters (pan 盤). But other kinds of objects such as lacquered boxes, chariots, furniture, elements of weaponry, and coffins have also been found.