Evaluation of a Bronze Mirror from the Ordu Museum

The mirror is the reflection of the truth... It is lie-free... It is mesmerizing... It is the most beautiful object that does not know what a lie is and reflects what falls on it with all its reality. Human beings, who have always succumbed to their sense of curiosity, first used the water surface with the effort to see their reflection from the early ages and then made mirrors by polishing materials such as obsidian and bronze. Over time, with the discovery and development of glass, they fulfilled their curiosity to see themselves by making mirrors with glazed backs. Mirrors, objects that were not easily accessible to everyone in ancient times, were used by elite people. The fact that mirrors are commonly found as grave finds, as well as being widely embroidered on tomb steles and vases, suggests that mirrors are sacred objects. Mirrors, which are generally an indispensable cosmetic item for women in every period, especially with their ornament and beauty reflection, have also found a symbolic place in myths, history, culture, and literature. This study will analyze the use, development, and types of mirrors in Antiquity with the bronze mirror preserved in the Ordu Museum. The mirror in the Ordu Museum, which was transferred from the Adana Museum, is a unique artifact, and analogy was used as a dating method. Since the mirrors made of bronze were used for a wide range of dates until the Byzantine period, it was impossible to give a clear date. However, as a similar example, grave finds, which we can generally give short interval dates, were taken as a basis. With the application of this method, we can say that our artifact bears the characteristics of bronze mirrors used in the 5th-4th century BC.