Weight in the Shape of Liubo Game Player
Unknown Artist
Medium
Bronze with lead core
Dimensions
H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); W. 2 in. (5.1 cm); D. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm)
Classification
Metalwork
Culture & Period
China · Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Bequest of Dorothy Graham Bennett, 2003
Accession Number
2003.522.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming bronze weight, crafted during China's Han dynasty (206.C.–A.D. 220), takes the form of a Li game player, capturing a moment of everyday leisure from over two millennia ago. Liubo was a beloved board game akin to backgammon, strategy and chance with ritualistic elements—players tossed sticks like dice while chanting incantations. Standing just 3¼ inches tall, this functional object doubled as a practical tool for balancing scales in trade or daily life, reflecting the Han era's ingenuity in merging utility with artistry. Cast in bronze with a lead core for added heft, the figurin...