Flaming Pearls and Flying Phoenixes: Materiality, Research, and Stewardship of Liao Dynasty Metalwork

Abstract

ABSTRACT Metalwork from the Liao Dynasty (907-1125 CE) displays material and technical mastery that draws on the metalware and gilding traditions from the Tang and Song dynasties in China. When the nomadic Khitan people created the Liao polity, their military dominance, worldview, and cultural tastes culminated in a rich physical heritage. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) has three opulent Khitan funerary objects in its collection: a Mongolian-style gilded copper saddle, a pair of gilded silver boots, and a gilded silver crown. Transcendency of materials in the pursuit of form can embed meaning and cultural significance in ways not readily apparent. Increased awareness of the Liao Dynasty metalwork tradition and new archaeological finds are slowly changing the narrative of the Khitan people from “barbaric” nomadic outsiders to culturally-empowered elites. Current research and technical study strive to contextualize the Liao Dynasty metalware and offer a glimpse into the material mastery of the Khitan people and the world in which they lived.