'Time-traveling' cup found in ancient tomb over 2,000 years old.

Since ancient times, people have often buried funerary objects in their tombs. If the owner of the tomb was a person of high status, the burial objects were naturally very abundant and valuable. This made the tomb attractive to grave robbers and many cultural relics traders.

However, in reality, there are strange objects that look ordinary but are unexpectedly rare treasures thousands of years old. The story below is one such example.

In October 1990, in Shichang Village, Banshan Town, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province (China), a brick factory worker accidentally discovered several small pits while collecting soil and fired bricks. The factory workers suspected that an ancient tomb might be beneath these pits and reported it to the authorities.

After the cultural heritage management agency sent archaeological experts to the area to conduct investigations and research.

'Time-traveling' cup found in ancient tomb over 2,000 years old - 1 — The ancient tomb was discovered within the grounds of a brick factory in Zhejiang province (China).

As a result, archaeological experts discovered that beneath some small pits on the factory grounds were ancient tombs dating back to the Warring States period.

This ancient tomb contained many valuable burial artifacts such as jade and precious stones, suggesting that the tomb's owner was certainly not an ordinary person. Unfortunately, the tomb was once desecrated by grave robbers who stole some important clues. Therefore, experts have been unable to accurately determine the true identity of the tomb's owner.

During the search for clues, based on the half-life of radioactive carbon on the wooden beams in the tomb, experts concluded that this was an ancient tomb dating back to the late Warring States period (around 250 BC).

Later, experts sorted and collected cultural artifacts from the tomb. At this point, archaeologists discovered a glittering object on the ground. It appeared to be made of glass. When the experts approached, it turned out to be a modern-day glass cup.

Initially, some experts suggested it was simply a cup left behind by grave robbers after drinking water. However, others argued that it was a very complex object requiring more thorough study.

After further research, the results were beyond imagination. The cup in question was no ordinary modern object. Specifically, it dated back over 2,000 years. This significant discovery provided crucial clues for researchers, causing a sensation in the archaeological community.

'Time-traveling' cup found in ancient tomb over 2,000 years old - 2 — The cup, which looks like a modern object, is actually a treasure made of crystal more than 2,000 years old.

According to experts, the cup found in this tomb is made of natural crystal, measuring 15.4 cm in height, 7.8 cm in diameter, and 5.4 cm in base diameter. The cup, dating from the Warring States period, surprised many because, despite its simple overall appearance and lack of decorative patterns, it emitted an amber glow unlike ordinary cups.

This is proof of the masterful craftsmanship of the artisans who made this cup more than 2,000 years ago.

Experts estimate that it would take modern-day craftsmen many years to produce a crystal cup similar to those made during the Warring States period.

Debate over a treasure over 2,000 years old.

A crystal cup found in a Warring States period tomb has sparked debate among experts regarding three perplexing mysteries.

First, the manufacturing process. According to experts, this cup is made from a single piece of crystal. So, how did craftsmen over 2,000 years ago hollow it out? How did they transform a block of crystal into a cup of water? Experts believe that it is highly likely that ancient craftsmen applied a method similar to that used in the creation of jade.

Secondly, there's the issue of polishing. Despite spending over 2,000 years in an ancient tomb, this crystal cup has a smooth, polished surface and interior walls, like jade. Polishing the outside isn't difficult, but polishing the inside of the cup is no simple task. So, how did the craftsmen polish this ancient artifact?

Thirdly, the materials. Initially, no one questioned the origin of the materials used to make this cup. However, after the cup became famous, it attracted considerable attention from society. Experts from the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Geology and Mineral Resources believe that China does not possess crystal of such high quality and purity. Therefore, many experts speculate that the materials used to make the more than 2,000-year-old cup may have come from an depleted crystal mine or were tribute from a foreign country.

The crystal cup has been recognized as a national treasure and is currently preserved and displayed at the Hangzhou Museum. This cup is a unique item among national treasures. To be able to use this precious crystal cup during the Warring States period, its owners must have possessed extremely high social status.

Because artifacts made of crystal are very rare, the more than 2,000-year-old cup was added to the list of cultural treasures banned from being exhibited abroad in 2002.

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