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Primary sourceArtifactc. 206–100 BCE

Winged Lacquer Cup (Erbei)

c. 206–100 BCE

A lacquer drinking cup made in the early Western Han dynasty, the dynasty founded by Gaozu, showing the material culture of his era.

A lacquer cup from the early years of the Han dynasty Gaozu founded, offering context on the material culture of his reign.

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A dark black oval-shaped vessel on a grey background, with a cream-colored gold-toned scrolling pattern along its rim and body, and a second, smaller dish-like piece tucked behind it. The interior is reddish-brown.
Winged Cup (Erbei), c. 206–100 BCE. Lacquer. The Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this source

What it is

This is a lacquer cup, called an erbei or "winged cup" because of its ear-like handles, made during the Western Han dynasty. It dates to the earliest decades of the dynasty, roughly between 206 and 100 BCE. The cup is now held by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Why it matters

The maker of this cup is unknown, but it survives as an example of the fine lacquerware produced in the years after Emperor Gaozu founded the Han dynasty. Objects like this help historians understand the everyday luxury goods, craftsmanship, and style of the period just after the Han dynasty began, giving context to the world Gaozu's new government ruled over.

Look closer

  • What does the quality of this object suggest about the people who could own it?
  • Why might lacquerware like this survive for over two thousand years?
  • What does this object NOT tell us about Gaozu himself?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Liu Bang (Gaozu of Han) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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