Neolithic Chicken-Bone White Jade Axe-Shaped Bi Ritual Disc, circa 7500–2900 BCE

拍品描述

Dimensions: Length 9.5 cm (3.74 in); width 7 cm (2.76 in); Neolithic period, approximately 75th–29th century BCE Weight: 51 g (approx. 1.80 oz)Condition & Provenance: The piece is preserved intact overall, with no apparent major chips, losses, or restoration. The jade displays a characteristic chicken-bone-white appearance, with an extensive network of fine weathering lines and naturally mottled taupe, brown, and gray surface accretions. These variations extend across the broad faces, edges, and recessed areas, giving the material a distinctly time-softened character. The large central aperture is smoothly worked through the body, while a smaller suspension perforation near the upper corner remains clearly defined. The perimeter has been carefully rounded and polished, producing softly transitioning edges and a subdued surface luster. Provenance: Private Collection, Washington State, USA. Acquired from an antique gallery in Vancouver in 1997 and subsequently retained within the same family collection for more than 20 years; accompanied by original collection records.Description: This distinctive chicken-bone-white jade carving combines the visual vocabulary of two important prehistoric Chinese jade forms: the ceremonial axe and the perforated bi. Rather than adopting the perfect circular geometry traditionally associated with a bi disc, the craftsman created a broad, subtly tapering silhouette whose substantial upper section gradually narrows toward the lower end, giving the object the restrained monumentality of an early ritual implement. A large circular aperture dominates the composition. Positioned within the broad body of the jade, it establishes a compelling relationship between solid mass and open space and immediately becomes the visual center of the piece. The interior wall has been carefully worked and smoothed, while its depth reveals the substantial thickness of the stone. A second, considerably smaller perforation near the upper corner provides an additional suspension point, suggesting that the object could have been threaded, suspended, or incorporated into a larger ceremonial arrangement. The carving is entirely dependent upon proportion and surface rather than elaborate ornament. Its broad faces remain undecorated, allowing the pale chicken-bone-white material and naturally varied surface to define the object's character. The perimeter is carefully rounded, with no aggressively sharp transitions; instead, the edges flow gently from one plane into another, giving the jade an exceptionally tactile quality. Across the surface is a dense network of fine interconnected weathering lines, accompanied by irregular taupe, brown, and gray accretions. These tonal variations continue into the perforations and along the edges, creating considerable visual depth against the pale ground. The finish is soft and subdued rather than highly reflective, emphasizing the sculptural form and aged surface. Conceptually, the piece brings together two of the most powerful forms in early Chinese jade culture. The bi became associated with heaven, cosmological order, ritual communication, and spiritual authority, while axe-shaped ceremonial jades could serve as potent expressions of status and power. Their combination produces an object whose meaning may be understood through both ritual geometry and the symbolic authority of the axe form. At 9.5 cm long, the carving has a substantial presence while remaining sufficiently compact for suspension or ceremonial handling. Its tapering outline, oversized central opening, secondary suspension hole, softly rounded perimeter, and extensively altered chicken-bone-white surface create an unusually strong and immediately recognizable composition. The design is fundamentally minimalist: there is no unnecessary ornament, and the visual impact depends instead upon the balance of material, aperture, proportion, and silhouette. This economy of form gives the piece a powerful sculptural quality and reflects the sophisticated abstract design principles associated with prehistoric Chinese jade carving.

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