2. The Empress’ Jade Seal

Age：Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 24)

This seal, made from Hetian jade from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, features a monster-shaped protrusion as a knob. Used as a seal, it was inscribed with the four characters ‘Huang Hou Zhi Xi’, which identifies it as an empress’ seal. It was unearthed just 1 km from Changling ,the mausoleum of Emperor Gaozu of West Han Dynasty and his wife, Lye Zhi. It is likely that the seal was used by Empress Lye Zhi, making it one of the most important seals ever to have been found.