Period:Shang dynasty Production date:15thC BC-10thC BC
Materials:jade
Technique:polished (?), pierced,
Subjects:leaf
Dimensions:Length: 13.80 centimetres
Description:
Prismatic handle of semi-translucent pale green jade with white and brown inclusions and veins finished to a good gloss.
IMG
![图片[1]-handle BM-2022-3034.95-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Shang dynasty/Jades/486_.jpg)
Comments:This handle is narrower in proportion to its length than 295. It has an almost square cross-section, with a small pyramid-shaped tip above a long, slender and slightly curved grip. The lower part of the handle is composed of five layers of overlapping leaves, crisply executed and turned slightly outwards at the corners. There are deep vertical grooves in each face dividing the petals. At the bottom is a small projection pierced by a hole, to which something must have been attached. Between this projection and the petals is a narrow horizontal band, concave in cross-section. As mention in 295, handles decorated with leaves or petals are found in Fu Hao’s tomb, and were, therefore, well established in the first half of the Anyang period, c.1200BC. While all the leaf-patterned handles in her tomb are crisply carved, the degree of relief varies. Some of the handles are carved with slightly projecting relief leaves that resemble those of the present piece. Similar handles were also employed in the Western Zhou, as seen at Beijing Fangshan Liulihe. A piece from this site is pierced at the end like the present example. It is possible that the jade from Liulihe, however, was a survival from the Shang period for many of the Western Zhou handles are rather flat in form. See Rawson 1995, p.235, cat.no.13.2. The upper part of the prismatic handle slightly waisted terminating in a pyramidical boss. The lower part decorated with five layers of overlapping leaf motifs at the corners separated by wide grooves on the four sides with a tapering extension which has a small conical perforation. Shang. Length 130mm.
Materials:jade
Technique:polished (?), pierced,
Subjects:leaf
Dimensions:Length: 13.80 centimetres
Description:
Prismatic handle of semi-translucent pale green jade with white and brown inclusions and veins finished to a good gloss.
IMG
Comments:This handle is narrower in proportion to its length than 295. It has an almost square cross-section, with a small pyramid-shaped tip above a long, slender and slightly curved grip. The lower part of the handle is composed of five layers of overlapping leaves, crisply executed and turned slightly outwards at the corners. There are deep vertical grooves in each face dividing the petals. At the bottom is a small projection pierced by a hole, to which something must have been attached. Between this projection and the petals is a narrow horizontal band, concave in cross-section. As mention in 295, handles decorated with leaves or petals are found in Fu Hao’s tomb, and were, therefore, well established in the first half of the Anyang period, c.1200BC. While all the leaf-patterned handles in her tomb are crisply carved, the degree of relief varies. Some of the handles are carved with slightly projecting relief leaves that resemble those of the present piece. Similar handles were also employed in the Western Zhou, as seen at Beijing Fangshan Liulihe. A piece from this site is pierced at the end like the present example. It is possible that the jade from Liulihe, however, was a survival from the Shang period for many of the Western Zhou handles are rather flat in form. See Rawson 1995, p.235, cat.no.13.2. The upper part of the prismatic handle slightly waisted terminating in a pyramidical boss. The lower part decorated with five layers of overlapping leaf motifs at the corners separated by wide grooves on the four sides with a tapering extension which has a small conical perforation. Shang. Length 130mm.
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