Description:

East Asia, China, Shang Dynasty, ca. 11th century BCE. A gorgeous piece of dark green stone with paler green, black, and brown flecks, string cut, drilled, and polished to a very thin ceremonial axe blade with a slightly sharpened, wide edge and a large round perforation on the narrow end for attachment. Yu, the Chinese word for jade, is also an idea - of a steadfastness and reliability, mirrored in the abrasion techniques required to make these intricate works of art. Yu is also not bound by the mineralogical definition of jade - over the millennia that it has been carved in China, the people have had varying access to sources of jade and nephrite - but is rather a wider term for hard stone. From the Neolithic period forward, the Chinese buried jade with the dead, often broken or placed ceremonially on the body; they also used it in life for performing rituals. Size: 4.25" W x 6.55" H (10.8 cm x 16.6 cm)

Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection; ex-Arts du Monde, New York, USA, collected in the late 1980s to 1990s

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#155668

  • Condition: Light wear commensurate with age with light pitting and scratching on surface. Intact.

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July 1, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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