Lacquer cups of the Western Han Dynasty (Noin Ula, Mongolia): an analysis of inscriptions

The expedition headed by P.K. Kozlov in 1924–1927 and the Russian-Mongolian expedition in 2006 and 2009 lead to the discovery in the Noin Ula Mountains of fi ve lacquer cups of Western Han Dynasty with handles (er bei) and inscriptions. The article compares established versions of translations of inscriptions and offers a reading, translation and analysis of the inscriptions found on the newly discovered lacquer cups. Using the method of comparative analysis, it has been established that the inscriptions found on the cups from Noin Ula are standard (except for the cup from burial mound 6). As a rule, the inscriptions include the name of the workshop where the cup was made, date of manufacture, and the title and surname of the offi cials who managed and controlled the production process. The article also considers the cups ornamentation by means of which the objects produced in a particular workshop may be identifi ed.