Period:Han dynasty Production date:2ndC BC-2ndC AD
Materials:jade
Technique:carved, polished, incised,
Subjects:dragon
Dimensions:Height: 3.50 centimetres Width: 5.90 centimetres
Description:
Very pale green jade sword chape with calcification and areas of metal encrustation and rust stains.
IMG
![图片[1]-sword BM-2022-3034.174-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Han dynasty/Jades/664_.jpg)
Comments:Two dragons are crawling over the chape with one dragon worked to present it away from the chape curling round the edge to the other side with a bear biting into its tail. The animals are carved in high relief with a good polish. The end of the chape is flat tapering at the edges towards the attachment end which has a central perforation that is joined by two slanting side perforations This chape is trapezoidal in overall form with bowed convex sides making an elliptical cross-section. Two sinuous feline dragons, shown in full relief, rise over the surface of the body of the chape, one on each side. The tail of the larger of the two dragons extends beyond the edge of the chape, and the smaller one bites it. The decoration forms an intricate, openwork, almost sculptural composition. This subject seems to have been popular on jade sword fittings, as seen on the scabbard slide no.665 [2014,AsiaLoan,1.211], and also on a chape from the tomb of the King of Nan Yue, which has dragons in full relief, a bear in much lower relief and incised scrolls behind the dragons. The top of the present chape is pierced by three holes for attached to the scabbard. The underside is flat. See Rawson 1995, p.299, cat. no.21.9.
Materials:jade
Technique:carved, polished, incised,
Subjects:dragon
Dimensions:Height: 3.50 centimetres Width: 5.90 centimetres
Description:
Very pale green jade sword chape with calcification and areas of metal encrustation and rust stains.
IMG
Comments:Two dragons are crawling over the chape with one dragon worked to present it away from the chape curling round the edge to the other side with a bear biting into its tail. The animals are carved in high relief with a good polish. The end of the chape is flat tapering at the edges towards the attachment end which has a central perforation that is joined by two slanting side perforations This chape is trapezoidal in overall form with bowed convex sides making an elliptical cross-section. Two sinuous feline dragons, shown in full relief, rise over the surface of the body of the chape, one on each side. The tail of the larger of the two dragons extends beyond the edge of the chape, and the smaller one bites it. The decoration forms an intricate, openwork, almost sculptural composition. This subject seems to have been popular on jade sword fittings, as seen on the scabbard slide no.665 [2014,AsiaLoan,1.211], and also on a chape from the tomb of the King of Nan Yue, which has dragons in full relief, a bear in much lower relief and incised scrolls behind the dragons. The top of the present chape is pierced by three holes for attached to the scabbard. The underside is flat. See Rawson 1995, p.299, cat. no.21.9.
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