Eye characteristics of jade turtle buckle in Han dynasty

The eyes of the jade turtle buckle in Han Dynasty are not the usual slightly convex ellipse, but two prominent beads. Turtle buttons, that is, printed buttons carved or cast into turtle shapes, are often worn around the waist or tied to the arms with ropes and carried around as a symbol of official power. Ancient ancestors believed that turtles had mysterious ability to predict bad luck. Therefore, tortoise shell sacrifice or divination, the result of divination can directly affect the decision-making of emperors. It is this characteristic that makes the image of a turtle formally be included in the official seal system as a button in the Han Dynasty and become a powerful symbol in China's power system. As an official seal, turtle buttons are made of gold and silver, and the bronze seals of officials with an annual salary of more than 2,000 stones are also made of turtle buttons, and a few are carved with jade or amber.