Jade Cicada, Western Han dynasty (206 BCE-8 CE)-China Archive

Image Number: K1C001301N000000000PAB
Dynasty: Western Han dynasty
Category: Jades
Function: Costumes, accessories, and artifacts
Material: Minerals/Jade Jewelry/Jade
Description:
Blue jade, jade gray with ochre spots. It is a standing cicada with thick center and thin edge. It is carved with head, neck, wings, abdomen, etc. The lines are simple but vivid. There is an elephant trunk on the back and a hole through the heart that always goes through the head and tail. Most of the jade cicadas in the Han Dynasty are dark green jade, and the workmanship is simple. This is because the function of the cicadas is to place them in the mouth of the deceased nobles in order to become the funeral jade of rebirth. Therefore, the selection and polishing methods are customized. Because of the way of use, the cicada does not need to be tied and pierced. The piercing of this jade cicada is the reason why later generations did not know the original function of the cicada and changed it to wear a jade pendant.