Four bronze heads from Beijing's Old Summer Palace on display in Macao

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Four of the 12 bronze animal heads from Beijing's Old Summer Palace, namely the heads of the Tiger, Pig, Ox and Monkey, are on display in Macao.

This photo taken on November 11, 2024 shows the four bronze Chinese zodiac animal heads from Beijing's Old Summer Palace on display at the Poly MGM Museum in Macao. /CFP

The four original pieces are believed to have been part of a set of 12 traditional Chinese zodiac animal head sculptures that once graced a water clock fountain in Yuanmingyuan, or the Old Summer Palace, a magnificent former imperial garden built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The 12 pieces were looted from Beijing by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860, and some of them remain unaccounted for.

The bronze head of Tiger is on display at the Poly MGM Museum in Macao. /CFP

They are a part of "The Maritime Silk Road—Discover the mystical seas and encounter the treasures of the ancient trade route" exhibition at Poly MGM Museum. The exhibition, consisting of 184 sets of unearthed relics and textile products, spices and a variety of treasures, explores the origin, development, influence, and future outlook of the Maritime Silk Road.