Artisans in Early Imperial ChinaAn award winning study of the ancient world, now back in print Early China is best known for the dazzling material artifacts it has left behind. These terracotta figures, gilt bronze lamps, and other material remnants of the Chinese past unearthed by archaeological excavations are often viewed without regard to the social context of their creation, yet they were made by individuals who contributed greatly to the foundations of early Chinese culture.