Chinese Lacquer Cup from the “Golden Man” Tomb at Bugry, Northern Altai

Abstract

In 2013, the South Siberian Archaeological Expedition headed by K.V. Chugunov excavated tomb 3 of mound 1 at the Bugry burial ground in the Altai. On the fl oor of the burial chamber, numerous fragments of a Chinese lacquer cup of the er bei type were found. Exact parallels to its decoration are known among the artifacts from tombs in the central Hubei Province, dating to the Qin–early Western Han Dynasty based on epigraphic data and suggesting that tomb 3 dates to the late 3rd century BC. Similarly decorated artifacts were found in other tombs in the Altai. The physicochemical analysis of the lacquer layers makes it possible to identify their compounds and to reconstruct the technique of the manufacture of er bei cups.