0280 - Globular silver censer with openwork decoration. Carried by aristocr...Back

Globular silver censer with openwork decoration. Carried by aristocrats for burning aromatic incenses, the censer is made of two hinged openwork hemispheres with design of flying birds and grape vines. Within it is a tiny gold bowl suspended in the manner of gimbals on two movable silver rings. No matter how the censer is turned, the gold bowl always remains in equilibrium so that the burning incense will not be spilt out. This is the earliest known example of the gimbals system which preceded its application in the mariner's compass by several centuries. Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907. D. 4.5 cm. Unearthed in 1970 at Sian Shensi Province.