Sacred Sounds: The Bells of Ancient China

Saturday, August 26, 2006—Sunday, April 8, 2007
Cargill Gallery 103
Free Exhibition

The Chinese Bronze Age (c. 1900–221 B.C.) is well known by the thousands of ritual vessels excavated from ancient tombs. Bronze bells were used during ceremonies and elaborate rituals of that time.

This exhibition features a set of twenty graduated bells—the largest group in a western museum—to explore the technical, artistic, and musical characteristics of late Bronze Age bells. Also included are ceramic substitute sets of the same period excavated from lesser burials.

Sacred Sounds audio program

Hear the sacred sounds of rare ancient Chinese bells. Asian art curator Robert Jacobsen narrates this 7-minute audio program.

Listen online or download for your portable audio player [.mp3, 5.28MB]