Chinese
Tortoise, 206 BCE–8 CE, Western Han Dynasty
Not on view
Clay
Dimensions8 × 11 × 21 in. (20.3 × 27.9 × 53.3 cm)
Gift of Barry Fitzmorris, 2011.246
In ancient China, the tortoise and the snake were thought to be spiritual creatures symbolizing longevity. During the Han Dynasty, people often wore jade pendants that were in the shape of tortoises.
