“Qie Moshu” Silver Seal with Tortoise Knob

Unearthed from Laoshan Zhengzhuang Han tomb in Ganquan Commune, Hanjiang county of Yangzhou city in 1977, this square silver seal, with meticulously carved character and ingeniously-crafted tortoise knob, deserves the recognition as one of the best pieces among Han-dynasty seals. The tortoise was vividly portrayed: a raised head, open eyes and four stretching claws as if it is trying to move forward and meticulously crafted shell that even lines on it are clearly visible. There are three characters “Qie Moshu” on the face of the seal, indicating this seal belonging to a female named Moshu. Historical records show that most of those who had silver seals with tortoise knobs were of noble identities such as the eldest princess, marquis, etc.