Page 253 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

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Jade pel pectoral was favored over faience, popular in western Asia.
Beads that might be regarded as forms of faience,
Length c. 50 (19 Vs)
that is, fired mixtures of silica and pigment, have
Late Western Zhou Period, eighth century BCE
been found in Middle Western Zhou tombs at
From Tianma-Qucun (Beizhao, Quwo),
Rujiazhuang near Baoji in western Shaanxi
Shanxi Province
5
province. That beads were used as decorative
Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, ornaments in two so widely separated corners of
Taiyuan the Western Zhou kingdom during approximately
the same period suggests that they were not a local
1
This pectoral, part of a complex array of jades, was invention, but rather reflected the influence of
suspended from the wearer's neck. It is composed peoples in the border areas, a development that
of a jade ring joined with two pairs of arc-shaped figures in other decorative arts as well. It seems
pendants and a small bar by sets of beads; a second possible that these beads demonstrate an interest
jade ring is thought to have been part of this orna- in decorative jewel-like ornaments shared by
ment. The two rings and two of the arcs are rela- peoples on the periphery in China, a feature
tively plain, although one of the arcs retains traces that was perhaps also common to other parts of
of lines that have been worn (or smoothed) away. Central Asia.
The two arcs at the ends of the ornament carry Beads used in this pectoral are of consider-
incised designs of dragons with interlacing ribbon- ably later date than those found at Fangshan or
shaped bodies, a pattern developed during the Rujiazhuang. Complex pendants should be treated
Middle to Late Western Zhou period. It seems likely as part of a relatively late phenomenon. The associ-
that the jades were originally carved for other uses; ation of pectorals with face plaques (cat. 84) sug-
the same probably holds true for the other jades gests an intent to create a formidable display. It is
that compose the burial apparatus. likely that the jades illustrated here and in cat. 85
A notable feature of all such complex orna- manifest a completely new approach to the world of
ments is the use of beads in several materials, par- spirits and the afterlife that developed in the latter
ticularly in agate or carnelian and in varieties of part of the Western Zhou period. JR
faience. Beads, especially hardstone beads, are
1 Excavated in 1992 (M 8:114-124); reported: Beijing 1994.
surprisingly rare in the history of Chinese decora- 2 For beads of the Liangzhu culture, see Ma and Ho 1992,
tive art; only a few of the Neolithic peoples who nos. 80, 81, and 82.
inhabited the Chinese landmass before the advent 3 For beads from Xin'gan in Jiangxi province, see Ma 1994,
nos. 88 and 94.
of the Shang used these ornaments to any apprecia- 4 For ornaments from Liulihe, see Rawson 1996, no. 56.
ble extent (the fine tubular beads of the Liangzhu 5 For beads from Rujiazhuang, see Lu and Hu 1988, color pi.
2
peoples are outstanding examples). Inhabitants of 25-
the southern areas (notably the peoples of Xin'gan
in present-day Jiangxi) used jade and turquoise
beads in the latter part of the second millennium
3
BCE. Beads were used only rarely by the Shang at
Anyang, nor were they common during the first
centuries of Zhou rule.
Beads came into more widespread decorative
use during the tenth to ninth centuries BCE. Among
the earliest of the assemblages that include beads
are those from Western Zhou period tombs at
4
Liulihe, Fangshan near Beijing, where turquoise

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