Bronze mirrors were themselves preceded by mirrors made of
obsidian (volcanic glass), found across the
Middle East. These remained the standard in the Americas until the arrival of Europeans.
Iron pyrite was also used. Glass mirrors with superior reflectivity began to be made in the
Roman Empire in the 1st century CE, but remained very expensive for a long time, as well as easy to break, and initially hardly any more reflective, so that bronze mirrors remained common in many parts of the world until the 19th century.
Speculum metal is a very hard high-tin bronze-type alloy, with about 30% tin rather than the typical 12–15%. It polishes well to give very good reflectivity, and was important in
Early Modern telescopes and other uses. Its use in mirrors may date back more than 2000 years in China although it could also be an invention of western civilizations. There seem to be references to it by
Pliny the Elder. It was certainly in use by the European
Middle Ages, giving better reflectivity than the usual bronze, and tarnishing more slowly. However, tin was expensive, and the composition of the alloy had to be controlled precisely. Confusingly, mirrors made of speculum metal were known at the time, and often later, as "steel mirrors", although they had no
steel in them.
Egypt and Near East Polished bronze mirrors were made by the
Egyptians from 2900 BCE onwards. These Egyptian mirrors are spoken of in biblical Book of Exodus (1500 BCE), and used by Moses in the construction of the Tabernacle.
China -period
TLV mirror, 25–220 CE Bronze mirrors were produced in China from
Neolithic times until Western glass mirrors were brought to China. Bronze mirrors were usually circular, with one side polished bright, to give a reflection, and the reverse side normally decorated in
cast relief in early examples, later on sometimes inlaid in precious metal. They generally had a knob or loop in the center of the back so that they could be easily held in the hand, and sometimes attached to clothing. In the
Tang and
Song dynasties some examples were larger and more variable in shape. Other examples are so small, about 5 cm across, that they may have been mainly intended for ritual use, as "charms to ward off evil spirits". Some of the earliest examples of Chinese bronze mirrors belonged to the late Neolithic
Qijia culture from around 2000 BCE (some use of bronze is found before the
Bronze Age, when it became general for some types of objects). However, until
Warring States times, bronze mirrors were not common with approximately only twenty having been discovered. During the
Warring States period, mirrors became particularly popular. During the
Han dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE) mirrors started to be mass-produced in standardised designs, including the
TLV mirror. Some Western Han dynasty mirrors featured intricate inlays using silver, gold, glass, and lead–barium silicates, a synthetic material resembling jade, to enhance visual appeal and symbolic value. Both Han and Tang mirrors are considered to be the most technically advanced. Both the quantity and quality of finds in graves declined after the Tang dynasty, but bronze mirrors continued to remain popular up through the
Song dynasty, but then gradually lost their popularity and ceased to be produced after the arrival of Western mirrors during the
Ming and
Qing dynasties. Specific types include the
inscribed mirror,
Flower Mirror and
Large Flower Mirror. File:Bronze Mirror, Qijia Culture, GansuNational Museum,Beijing.jpg|Early mirror,
Qijia culture, before c. 1800 BCE File:Han Bronze Mirror - 8.jpg|
Han dynasty, 202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD File:Dinastia tang, specchio con animali e uva, 690 dc ca.jpg|The "animals and grapes design", c. 690,
Tang dynasty File:Jin dynasty double fish mirror.jpg|The "double fish design", popular in the
Jin dynasty (1115-1234) File:Song Bronze Mirror 08.jpg|
Song dynasty File:Chinese numismatic charms - Scott Semans 53.jpg|Very small hand mirror
Europe , English, c. 50 BCE — 50 CE The
Bronze Age Minoan civilization produced hand-mirrors in the 2nd millennium BCE, followed by the
Myceneans. They were no doubt following the Egyptian or Near Eastern precedents. After disappearing in the
Greek Dark Ages, they returned in
Archaic Greece, including some mirrors on elaborate stands (already an Egyptian type), as well as hand-mirrors with handles. The stands most often featured a standing female figure, often with
putti. These are called "
caryatid mirrors". Folding mirrors, also called "box mirrors", from about 400 BCE, typically had relief designs on the outside of the lid, and engraved decoration on the inside. Most were still round, and lacked handles, presumably as they were meant to be held by a maid. Eros/Cupid is often shown holding up a mirror for Aphrodite/Venus. In the early periods, designs were typically engraved on the back, but luxury Greco-Roman mirrors often had figurative designs in relief. Mirrors from the
Iron Age have been discovered across most of Europe, generally as grave-goods. The Greeks were the earliest makers; the
Etruscans imported Greek mirrors, and then began making their own, passing the practice on to their Roman conquerors. In the 1st century CE
Seneca mentioned large wall mirrors; it may have been in front of one of these that
Demosthenes used to practise his speeches in the 4th century BCE. The rich had silver or silver-plated mirrors.
Celtic mirrors in
Britain were produced up until the
Roman conquest. Notable examples include the
Desborough Mirror, and those found in
Birdlip and
Langton Herring. File:Bronze mirror with a support in the form of a draped woman MET DP266227 (cropped).jpg|Greek
caryatid mirror, mid-5th century BCE File:7279 - 3rd century BC mirror - Museo archeologico nazionale, Taranto, room XII - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto, October 11 2015 (cropped).jpg|Greek folding mirror (found in Italy), 3rd century BCE, with Eros playing for Aphrodite File:Pompéi (Nîmes) 45.jpg|Front of silver Roman mirror from
Pompeii File:Birdlip Mirror 100 BC to 50 BC.png|The
Birdlip Mirror, English, early 1st-century BC. File:MirrorDSCF6602.jpg|An Iron Age bronze mirror with
Celtic decoration from 120 to 80 BCE. Found in
St Keverne, England File:Specchio in argento con mito di frisso ed elle, da vellerano, tomba 2, 150-200 ca..JPG|Silver, Roman, 150-200 CE, with unusually high relief File:Fresco showing a woman looking in a mirror as she dresses (or undresses) her hair, from the Villa of Arianna at Stabiae (Castellammare di Stabia), Naples National Archaeological Museum (17392924485).jpg|Fresco from
Pompeii File:Villa dei Misteri IX - 1.jpg|Cupid holding up a rectangular mirror,
Villa of the Mysteries India for sale In the
Indus Valley Civilization, manufacture of bronze mirrors goes back to the time between 2800 and 2500 BCE. Bronze mirrors are usually circular. With excavations in
Adichanallur and
Keeladi in
Tamil Nadu, India, it is confirmed that communities lived around the
Vaigai River valley in the
Bronze Age. The excavations done in Adichanallur in 1899 by Alexander Rea, the then Superintendent of the Archeological Survey of India, Southern circle brought out two bronze circular items. They are bronze mirrors similar to ones found in other civilisations. Carbon dating of samples tested resulted in the age of such items to be before 1500 BC.
Aranmula kannadi are still made on a small scale in
Kerala, South India, using a type of
speculum metal, an extra reflective
alloy of copper and tin.
Japan , with
chrysanthemum relief and silk tassel Japanese bronze mirrors were adopted from China, and are similar in form and, initially, style. Many had red silk tassels through the knob on the back.
Mirrors in Shinto have ritual uses. The c. 5th-century
Suda Hachiman Shrine Mirror is a
National Treasure of Japan, largely for the linguistic importance of its cast characters. According to its relief inscription it was made for a prince. is a sacred mirror that is part of the
Imperial Regalia of Japan. ==See also==