In ancient times, shells were commonly used for tools, decorations, currency, and more. Among the various uses of shells, the practice of using the inner wall as a painting surface was quite rare. Two shell paintings housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art have become rare evidence of this ancient art form. Due to limited archaeological research, human understanding of the artistic value and historical significance of these shell paintings has been hindered.
Recently, three sets of stunning shell paintings unearthed from Tomb M32 in the Xujiacun South Cemetery in Linzi, Shandong, have broken the long silence and stalemate. These paintings predate the shell paintings preserved in the Cleveland Museum of Art, reigniting people's strong interest in this extraordinary art form. However, much remains unknown about the pigments, production techniques, and image details used in these shell paintings.
Coincidentally, shell paintings have also been unearthed in the Hebei region. Professor Luo Wugan from the School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and collaborating partners conducted in-depth research on these unearthed shell paintings. They successfully reconstructed and reproduced the images of shell paintings from the Zhongshan State site dating back over two thousand years to the Warring States Period, achieving a series of significant research results. Recently, these findings were published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, a journal in the field of international cultural heritage preservation.
Multiple Views of Two Shell Paintings
One of the shell paintings in this study: (a) Image after CT processing; (b) Line drawing; (c) Effect after filling color blocks; (d) Final image effect based on partial imagination.
Another shell painting from this study: (a) Image after CT processing; (b) Line drawing; (c) Effect after filling with color blocks; (d) Final image effect based on partial imagination. Image provided by the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Compared to discoveries in the Shandong region, these paintings exhibit certain similarities in style and production process. Due to the influence of the burial environment, the images of shell paintings unearthed in Qingliancun, Lingshou County, Hebei Province, suffered severe damage. Nevertheless, the research team successfully reconstructed and restored the images through a series of meticulous testing methods, providing clear answers on pigments, techniques, and other related issues.
Based on morphological characteristics, these two shells belong taxonomically to the family Pinnidae, genus Atrina. This species mainly inhabits the intertidal and subtidal zones along the Chinese coast. Since ancient times, this shell has been highly valued for its unique medicinal and culinary properties. The two shells are highly likely to originate from the same individual shell, as many pairs of perforated shells have been found in other tombs in Zhongshan Kingdom, supporting this conclusion.
Overall, the shell paintings from the Nanmudi Cemetery in Xujia Village, Linzi, and the Qingliancun Cemetery in Lingshou County seem to belong to the same era, with significant similarities between them. This distinctive art form appears to have been prevalent in northern China during the Warring States period, with far-reaching influence that continued into the Han Dynasty. These shell paintings cover a wide range of subjects, with vivid character portrayals and sophisticated compositions, thus possessing high historical, scientific, and artistic value.
For more information, refer to the related paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2024.04.010
