knife BM-1945-1017.144

Period:Unknown Production date:1900BC-1600BC
Materials:jade
Technique:pigmented, incised,

Dimensions:Length: 74 centimetres

Description:
Jade knife with five perforations and criss-cross lines at each end. Two levels of bevelling around the edge emphasize the very straight, angular form of this piece. Made of red pigmented and green jade.
IMG


Comments:Rawson 1995:The Erlitou culture is the earliest excavated bronze-using culture in central China, whose seat of power was at Yanshi Erlitou, in present-day Henan province. Here, walled cities, large palace complexes and richly equipped burials have been found. In the tombs were bronze ritual vessels, ornaments and above all jades. While the people used newly discovered bronze for weapons, jade blades of increasing size seem to have existed for ceremonial use. Such an insistance on this form indicates that the traditional associations of the jades were still valued. However, jade axes and blades were distanced from their original utilitarian counterparts. For instance, the graceful curve of earlier knives were at Erlitou given uncompromising straight sides, as can be seen in this heavy piece. Further, the incised criss-cross lines are not seen on the earlier Longshan pieces.