A polished metal artifact with functional and symbolic uses. It was made in the Iron Age and the backs were decorated in beautiful La Tène designs. It was also made in Egypt from at least the Old Kingdom (2686-2181 BC). In China, mirrors were thought to have magical powers to influence the spirits, and were therefore frequently buried in tombs from late Chou Dynasty (1072-221 BC) until T'ang Dynasty (618-906 AD). Made of bronze, they were cast with elaborate decoration on the reverse of a highly polished convex surface. In Japan, many round imported mirrors and their domestic copies are found from Yayoi and Kofun graves. In Greek and Roman world, mirrors were of polished tin and bronze, decorated and had handles of bone or ivory. Celtic Britain had fine bronze mirrors of c 100 BC-100 AD.