Axe shaft cap

Sword fitting: Pommel of sword or dagger; in form of elongated oval block with projecting hollow and perforated shaft at the base, a plain painted oval form in relief on top is only decoration; mottled cream tones and black; smooth surface except for some rough and chipped areas.

Acquired with a box, now lost.

Maker(s)
Artist: Liangzhu culture 良渚 (ca. 3300-ca. 2250 BCE)
Historical period(s)
Late Neolithic period, ca. 3300-2250 BCE
Medium
Jade (nephrite)
Dimensions
H x W x D: 3.2 x 7.2 x 2.4 cm (1 1/4 x 2 13/16 x 15/16 in)
Geography
China, Lake Tai region
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1916.512
On View Location
Freer Gallery 19: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades
Classification(s)
Ceremonial Object, Jade
Type

Ceremonial object

Keywords
China, Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000 - ca. 1700 BCE), nephrite
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Sword fitting: Pommel of sword or dagger; in form of elongated oval block with projecting hollow and perforated shaft at the base, a plain painted oval form in relief on top is only decoration; mottled cream tones and black; smooth surface except for some rough and chipped areas.

Acquired with a box, now lost.

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
  • Sueji Umehara. Shina kogyoku zuroku [Selected Specimens of Chinese Archaic Jade]. Kyoto, 1955. pl. 107, fig. 3.
  • You Xiaoxi, Hsiao-chi Yu in, Chi-Tseng Chang. "游筱溪." Masterpieces of Chinese National Art: The Collection of Mr. Seaouke'e Yue. Shanghai, 1916. no. 32a.
  • Sueji Umehara. Freer bijutsukan shuzo no takensogu no nisan. vol. 25, no. 3 Kyoto, 1930. pp. 264-267, figs. 3, 4.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Jades for Life and Death
Google Cultural Institute
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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