Examine the Western Han Dynasty gilt bronze lamp (known as the Changxin Palace Lamp), an ancient artifact designed for both beauty and air purification. This video considers a remarkable second-century BCE Chinese bronze sculpture discovered in the tomb of Princess Dou Wan. We look at the craftsmanship of this functional object, which stands over 48 cm tall and currently resides at the Hebei Provincial Museum. You will learn how ancient artisans engineered this object to serve as a practical lamp while dealing with indoor air pollution during the Western Han Dynasty.

Speaker: Dr. Cortney Chaffin Kim