Museum Updates
Bronze axe decorated with two birds treading on snakes
Updated: Nov 10, 2026
China Bound
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Can you spot the animals on this 2,000-year-old bronze axe?
Perched on the back of this Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) bronze axe are two finely cast birds, standing back-to-back with wings spread as if ready to take flight. Each bird stands on a snake, the snakes’ bodies twisting and intertwining, their heads raised and pressed against the birds’ chests.
Unearthed from tomb No 13 at the Shizhaishan site in Jinning, Kunming, Yunnan province, this axe was more than a weapon. It served as an important ceremonial object symbolizing its owner's authority. Collection: Yunnan Provincial Museum.
