Dragon Heads

Recovered from Wolji, these two gilt-bronze dragon heads are almost identical, as if they were cast from the same mould. The bulging eyes, flaring nostrils, and sharp canine teeth of the dragons are portrayed in rich detail. Even the dragons’ scales and manes were fashioned with great dexterity and lined with dotted lines. The horns atop the head and the tongue inside the mouth were made separately; the horns were attached through a hole in the head, while the tongue was fixed to the mouth with a rivet. There is a small hole at the back of the head for a nail or rivet, indicating that the dragon heads were likely socketed somewhere for decoration.