Period:Han dynasty Production date:2ndC BC-2ndC AD
Materials:jade
Technique:polished (?), incised,
Subjects:taotie dragon
Dimensions:Length: 8.40 centimetres Width: 2.40 centimetres
Description:
Scabbard slide of white jade with some rust discolouration on the surface of the underside finished to a soft gloss.
IMG
![图片[1]-sheath BM-2022-3034.171-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Han dynasty/Jades/246_.jpg)
Comments:The scabbard slide is decorated in low relief with a writhing dragon with long curled horn and clawed feet and extended tail on a ground of C-scrolls, heart-shape and hatched motifs and spiral curls. At one end is a taotie mask with striated eyebrows. Warring States. See Rawson 1995, p.301, cat.no.21:14. While the shape of this slide is standard, the only slight variant being the short slope at the back, the decoration is very unusual. The underlying scheme is that of a taotie face and c-shaped volutes similar to those nos.355 and and 347 [2014,AsiaLoan,1.33]. Woven in among the c-shaped ridges is a long sinuous feline dragon, in low relief. This combination seem to be a consequence of the craftsmen adding dragons to existing schemes of c-shaped scrolls. It creates a complex and intriguing image, in which the previously abstract scrolls (which originally arose out of the elaboration of the taotie face) take on a new reading as the background for the dragon, perhaps a background of clouds. The soft polish of the piece highlights the fine ridges used for the c-scrolls and the minutely incised lines that embellish the feline dragon.
Materials:jade
Technique:polished (?), incised,
Subjects:taotie dragon
Dimensions:Length: 8.40 centimetres Width: 2.40 centimetres
Description:
Scabbard slide of white jade with some rust discolouration on the surface of the underside finished to a soft gloss.
IMG
Comments:The scabbard slide is decorated in low relief with a writhing dragon with long curled horn and clawed feet and extended tail on a ground of C-scrolls, heart-shape and hatched motifs and spiral curls. At one end is a taotie mask with striated eyebrows. Warring States. See Rawson 1995, p.301, cat.no.21:14. While the shape of this slide is standard, the only slight variant being the short slope at the back, the decoration is very unusual. The underlying scheme is that of a taotie face and c-shaped volutes similar to those nos.355 and and 347 [2014,AsiaLoan,1.33]. Woven in among the c-shaped ridges is a long sinuous feline dragon, in low relief. This combination seem to be a consequence of the craftsmen adding dragons to existing schemes of c-shaped scrolls. It creates a complex and intriguing image, in which the previously abstract scrolls (which originally arose out of the elaboration of the taotie face) take on a new reading as the background for the dragon, perhaps a background of clouds. The soft polish of the piece highlights the fine ridges used for the c-scrolls and the minutely incised lines that embellish the feline dragon.
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