Oval bowl with rhinoceros

This oval bowl is decorated with a seated rhinoceros amid a dense pattern of flowers and leaves, which is further enclosed by a band of scrolls. The rhinoceros is a motif rarely seen on Tang metalwork. Although they once roamed China, their numbers dwindled over the centuries. They were hunted for their hide, which was made into armour, and also for their horn. Rhinoceros horns were believed to have curative properties, and turned into drinking vessels and ornaments. During the Tang dynasty rhinoceroses were regarded as exotic, and were among the tributes offered to the court by kingdoms in Southeast Asia.

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