Period:Eastern Zhou dynasty Production date:8thC BC-2ndC BC
Materials:jade
Technique:polished (?), incised,
Subjects:dragon
Dimensions:Width: 4.70 centimetres
Description:
Pair of split bis of opaque creamy yellow jade with some light brown inclusions and calcification polished to a soft finish.
IMG
![图片[1]-bi BM-2022-3034.139-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Eastern Zhou dynasty/Jades/306_.jpg)
Comments:The split discs carved with double-line incisions, circles and hooked curls representing stylized intertwining dragons; each bi with two identifiable dragon’s heads. The reverse sides are undecorated. Western Zhou. See Rawson 1995, p.243, cat.no.14.9 These two rings, split at the top, are almost identical and form a pair. They are completely flat on both sides and have a slit less than 4 mm wide. Decoration in incised lines occurs only on one side and consists of meander in double incised lines combined with the scrolls with a flattened dot typical of this group of carvings. Oval eyes are interspersed among these lines. At the bottom of the ring, opposite the slit, pairs of bands are intertwined, again a distant reference to the intertwined bands on earlier jades, such as no.299 [2014,AsiaLoan.1.194]. Indeed all the details of the design indicate the influence of Western Zhou and Neolithic prototypes. Slits rings or jue, have a long history but it is unclear whether or not they were used continuously from the Neolithic to the Eastern Zhou. These (and the ones in the Huang state tombs of Eastern Zhou), are not only flat, but also very thin and undecorated on one side. They no longer look like pieces of jewellery and it is possible that in the Eastern Zhou jue were used with the shroud and suit plaques for burial only.
Materials:jade
Technique:polished (?), incised,
Subjects:dragon
Dimensions:Width: 4.70 centimetres
Description:
Pair of split bis of opaque creamy yellow jade with some light brown inclusions and calcification polished to a soft finish.
IMG
Comments:The split discs carved with double-line incisions, circles and hooked curls representing stylized intertwining dragons; each bi with two identifiable dragon’s heads. The reverse sides are undecorated. Western Zhou. See Rawson 1995, p.243, cat.no.14.9 These two rings, split at the top, are almost identical and form a pair. They are completely flat on both sides and have a slit less than 4 mm wide. Decoration in incised lines occurs only on one side and consists of meander in double incised lines combined with the scrolls with a flattened dot typical of this group of carvings. Oval eyes are interspersed among these lines. At the bottom of the ring, opposite the slit, pairs of bands are intertwined, again a distant reference to the intertwined bands on earlier jades, such as no.299 [2014,AsiaLoan.1.194]. Indeed all the details of the design indicate the influence of Western Zhou and Neolithic prototypes. Slits rings or jue, have a long history but it is unclear whether or not they were used continuously from the Neolithic to the Eastern Zhou. These (and the ones in the Huang state tombs of Eastern Zhou), are not only flat, but also very thin and undecorated on one side. They no longer look like pieces of jewellery and it is possible that in the Eastern Zhou jue were used with the shroud and suit plaques for burial only.
© Copyright
The copyright of the article belongs to the author, please keep the original link for reprinting.
THE END
