More than 400 bronze artifacts from Eurasian civilizations on display in central China

(ECNS) -- The "Bronze Masters: Eurasian Bronze Art Exhibition" opened Wednesday at the Henan Museum, featuring more than 400 artifacts from 12 cultural institutions in China and Italy.

The exhibits span nearly 3,000 years and represent ancient civilizations across Eurasia, including ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, Etruria and ancient China, according to curator Lin Xiaoyin. 

An ancient Egyptian cat mummy and its bronze coffin are displayed at the "Bronze Masters: Eurasian Bronze Art Exhibition" at the Henan Museum in Zhengzhou on July 8, 2026. (Photo: China News Service/Han Zhangyun)

Han Dynasty Wuzhu coins are displayed alongside ancient Roman coins, highlighting similar approaches to standardization across civilizations. 

Artifacts from the tomb of Fu Hao are presented alongside burial objects from Etruscan aristocratic tombs, revealing shared beliefs about the afterlife across different cultures.

Bronze vessels Feng Zun and Lai Zhong from the Western Zhou Dynasty (about the 11th century B.C. to 771 B.C.), both bearing inscriptions, are displayed alongside ancient Roman inscribed bronze plates, demonstrating bronze's role as a medium of political authority and historical record.

A bronze human head from the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC), unearthed from the Sanxingdui sacrificial pit, is displayed at the "Bronze Masters: Eurasian Bronze Art Exhibition" at the Henan Museum in Zhengzhou on July 8. (Photo: China News Service/Han Zhangyun)

"People in both the East and the West used bronze to make incense burners, mirrors and ornaments. Though they look different, they served the same functions," said visitor Zhang Jiyun.

The exhibition will run through Oct. 31.

(By Tang Yuxian)