HOLLOWED-OUT GOLD AND SILVER SACHET WITH FLYING BIRDS PATTERNS

Tang Dynasty

Diameter 4.7 cm， length of chain 7.4 cm， weight 36 grams

Unearthed from a hospice in Hejia Village in the southern suburbs of Xi’an

The whole sachet is hollowed out and hammered， and the patterns are gilded. This sachet is divided into outer and inner parts. The outer is part hollowed out and carved as the silver ball. The inner is a semicircle censer made of pure gold， connected by two crossing concentric rings， which can be turned 360°. However the outer part of the sachet rotates， the censer always maintains level while the ashes or spices in it do not escape. This is because of the balancing mechanism： the two crossing concentric rings. Between them and between the inner ring and the censer they are riveted by a symmetrical short axis. When the sachet is rotated， the two rings and the censer are able to stay parallel with the ground due to the force of gravity. The sachet’s top is attached to a chain and a hook， and can be hung on one’s belt.

The sachet was used mainly for clothing and bedding， sometimes with insecticidal intentions. Sachets like this had already appeared as early as the Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty， men or women had the habit of wearing one on their belts. On the day of the emperor’s celebration of worshiping the hundred gods， he must wear a sachet on his clothing.