Page 83 - JJ Lally Ancient Chinese Jades, 1988
P. 83
62. A Large Archaic Jade Ceremonial Axe ( Chan )
Shang Dynasty, circa 1300–1200 B.C.
carved with two sets of three projecting ‘teeth’ on either side of the thin quadrangular blade with
slightly convex sides polished to a high gloss all over and drilled with a hole in the center, the
rounded cutting edge smoothly beveled, the moss green jade with black flecking and areas of
cloudy tan color due to alteration from burial.
Length 11 ⁄8 inches (28.2 cm)
1
A very similar Shang jade axe of smaller size in the British Museum is illustrated by Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic
to the Qing, London, 1995, pp. 176-177, no. 10:13, where the author states “Notches were probably carved as part of an
effort to distinguish a ceremonial implement from a utilitarian tool.”
ਠcɽ͗ᗟcڗ 28.2᩶Ϸ
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