Disk (bi 璧)

Perforated disk; some translucent spots, obverse: mottled fawn and dull olive green with whitish areas of incipient disintegration; reverse: fawn colored with traces only of olive green; surface contour uneven; some roughened areas. (Rim chipped.)

Acquired with a box, now lost.

Maker(s)
Artist: Probably Liangzhu culture 良渚 (ca. 3300-ca. 2250 BCE)
Historical period(s)
Late Neolithic period, ca. 3300-ca. 2350 BCE
Medium
Jade (nephrite)
Dimensions
Diam x D: 11.6 × 0.7 cm (4 9/16 × 1/4 in) Diam (hole): 5.9 cm (2 5/16 in)
Geography
China, Lake Tai region, Zhejiang province, (purportedly found at) Anxi
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1919.34
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceremonial Object, Jade
Type

Ceremonial object: disk (bi)

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

Perforated disk; some translucent spots, obverse: mottled fawn and dull olive green with whitish areas of incipient disintegration; reverse: fawn colored with traces only of olive green; surface contour uneven; some roughened areas. (Rim chipped.)

Acquired with a box, now lost.

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
Jades for Life and Death
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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