A miniature world: Revealing warring states period shell paintings from zhongshan state by multiple-methods

Abstract

The use of shells as a medium for painting is an exceptionally rare discovery in archaeology, representing a art form that has been largely overlooked. In this study, we present two shell paintings of the Warring States period (476–221 BCE) discovered in Zhongshan State, Hebei, China. Employing various techniques, including microscopic observation, computed tomography (CT), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), multispectral imaging, and Raman spectroscopy, we non-destructively unveil the exquisite images obscured by soil and reveal the unparalleled shallow relief technique employed in their creation. The identified pigments for the different paintings include cinnabar, charcoal black, and malachite. These elaborate depictions offer insights into the costume, rituals, life, hierarchy, and art of the Warring States period. The meticulous use of prominent lines emphasizes color patches rather than the brushstrokes relied upon in later stereotypical Chinese painting, significantly reshaping previous notions about the early development of Chinese painting. This unique expression undoubtedly refreshes our understanding of early ancient art.