Mat Weight in the Shape of a Doe

Mat Weight in the Shape of a Doe

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A low bed, small table, and screen were often the only furnishings in a Han-dynasty room. The floors were generally covered with mats kept in place with weights in the shape of single animals, fighting beasts, or entertainers. Comparable deer-shaped weights excavated in north China are inlaid with marine shells, suggesting that the back of this was once similarly filled.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mat Weight in the Shape of a DoeMat Weight in the Shape of a DoeMat Weight in the Shape of a DoeMat Weight in the Shape of a DoeMat Weight in the Shape of a Doe

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.