Chinese Soapstone Hand Carved Chop Seal

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This exquisite carved seal from the early 20th century comes from China. It was Hand carved from soapstone and has … Read more This exquisite carved seal from the early 20th century comes from China. It was Hand carved from soapstone and has amazing colors. It appears to be two dragons, one spiraling up from the bottom and one down from the top. There is a round object between their noses.

History Of The Chinese Chop Seal. Chop Seals have been a part of Chinese culture for thousands of years. The earliest known seals date from the Shang Dynasty (?? - shang cháo), which ruled from 1600 BC-1046 BC. Chops became widely used during the Warring States period (???? / ???? - Zhànguó Shídài) from 475 BC-221 BC, when they were used for signing official documents. By the time of the Han Dynasty (?? / ?? - Hàn Cháo) of 206 BC-220 AD, the chop was an essential part of Chinese culture. See less