Ancient bronze mirrors stolen from museum

Posted 09 4 2008 9:59PM

BEIJING (Reuters) - A bronze mirror that is more than 1,600 years old was stolen from a museum in Dunhuang in northwest China's Gansu Province, the Xinhua news agency said Wednesday, citing a museum curator.

The mirror, dating from the Wei and Jin Dynasties (220-420 AD), and three others of lesser value went missing from the Dunhuang Municipal Museum during opening hours on August 24.

The mirror, 11 centimeters in diameter and a mere 0.3 cm thick, has the Chinese characters "Wei Zhi San Gong," translated as "among top ranking officials," inscribed on the back.

Dunhuang was a wealthy oasis town along the Silk Road, and the frescoes and carvings of its Mogao grottoes are some of the best preserved examples of Buddhist art in China.

The museum's sole infrared security system was operating the evening before the theft occurred. The exhibits were guarded by security personnel during the day, Xinhua said.

(Reporting by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Paul Tait)