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How did the techniques of granulation and filigree reach China?

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The techniques of granulation and filigree were introduced to China toward the end of the Han dynasty, likely no earlier than the late 2nd century CE. These artistic methods were communicated to the region from the Hellenized areas along the Black Sea coast.1

Once established, these techniques were frequently combined by Chinese craftsmen. They were notably employed in the creation of hairpins, earrings, combs, and costume plaques, with significant examples surviving from the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE). During this period, artisans used these methods to produce intricate designs, such as birds and flowers delineated by soldered wire set against a background of fine granulation that resembled a "dust of gold". The use of granulation in China persisted until approximately the 10th century CE, at which point its decline in the East curiously mirrored the loss of the technique in the West.1