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Warring States Period
"From the late Zhou to the founding of the
Qin dynasty, China endured more than two centuries of
political and social turmoil during what historians have dubbed
the Warring States Period (475 - 221 B.C.). The late Zhou
dynasty technically ended in 256, when the line of kings
completely failed. The Warring States period began when
the dynasty lost its power over most of the territory it ruled.
Thus, the periods overlap somewhat. This was also a time
of intellectual and artistic upheaval, when conflicting schools
of philosophy, including Legalism, Daoism, and Confucianism,
emerged." - Gardner's
Art Through The Ages,
11th edition, Vol. I, p. 192
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Mythical Creature (ca. 4th - 3rd c. BC) -
While only about five inches
high, this ornament is still rather heavy as it is made of
gold. Most likely it would have been sewn onto a hat
(note the piercings at the base). The entire body,
from the antlers to the tail are comprised of zoomorphs with
a cloud pattern on the flanks of the creature. The
overall shape is that of a deer but the beak is that of an
eagle.
 from the Shaanxi
History Museum
This is a lid for a
ceremonial burial vessel from the Warring States period.
The design is fantastical, a combination of a crane and a
deer or antelope. Unlike the zoomorphic shapes of the
Shang and Zhou periods, these are not functional but rather
are purely decorative.
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