This is one of the most important type of Gold Cup from the Tang Dynasty of China.Note the following:
01.The Gold Cup was casted from a mould,but the bottom ring was separately soldered on.
02.Worldwide there are in totality 30 - 40 cups of this shape,but the designs on the cups are predominantly Sassanian of Persian men and women.
03.This Gold Cup has three levels on each of its octagonal side viz. the lowest level is a background of fish roe/miniature punched circles; the middle level is of floral twigs and the highest level is of a mystical lion.
04.Two characters (Kai Yuan 713 - 741) will denote that this Gold Cup was casted during the reign of Emperor Xuan Zong (Li Longji).
Much more can be written but will end by comparing a similar shape cup in the Shaanxi Historical Museum found in Hejiacun in 1970.
The dimensions of the museum's is H:6cm Dia.:6cm and this cup is H;8cm and Dia.: 8.9cm i.e. the museum's cup is 75% this cup size.
The Weight given in the museum's cup is 378g which is 75%.Therefore if 100% will be 504g.This Gold Cup actual weight is 510g and so can conclude that these two cups were casted similarly.
