Neolithic Hongshan Culture Chicken-Bone White Jade Owl Pendant, circa 4700–2900 BCE

拍品描述

Dimensions: Height 5 cm (1.97 in / 0.16 ft); Width 5.5 cm (2.17 in / 0.18 ft); Late Neolithic Period, 5th–3rd Millennium BCE，Weight: 34 grams (1.20 oz)，Condition & Provenance: The jade owl is preserved intact overall, with no apparent losses, breaks, or restoration. The surface is extensively calcified to a characteristic chicken-bone white appearance, with scattered yellow-brown and ochre-toned areas distributed throughout the body. Fine natural fissures and weathered textures extend across the surface, creating a richly aged and layered appearance. The owl is conceived in a compact, flattened form with a strongly symmetrical silhouette. On the front, shallow incised lines define the large circular eyes, pointed beak, outstretched wings, and paired claws. Parallel incisions articulate the wing feathers with remarkable economy. The reverse is comparatively plain and fitted with two adjoining suspension perforations near the upper portion, forming a concealed double-hole arrangement suitable for threading and wearing. The perforations and surrounding surfaces retain visible drilling and abrasive-working traces. The entire piece has been extensively ground and polished, producing softly rounded edges and a mellow matte surface. Provenance: Private Collection, Switzerland. Acquired during the 1990s and retained overseas for more than thirty years.Description: This compact jade owl is carved from a single piece of stone into a highly stylized avian form associated with the visual vocabulary of Hongshan jade traditions. Measuring only 5 cm in height and 5.5 cm across, the pendant achieves an unusually strong sculptural presence through its broad wings, symmetrical composition, prominent eyes, and simplified geometric treatment. The stone presents an extensive chicken-bone white surface appearance, punctuated by irregular yellow-brown and ochre areas. Fine fissures, weathering, and variations in surface texture contribute to the object's pronounced archaic character. Rather than disguising these variations, the restrained carving allows the physical character of the jade itself to remain a major part of the visual experience. The owl is shown frontally with its wings spread to either side, creating a compact and immediately recognizable silhouette. Two large circular eyes dominate the face, while a short pointed beak projects between them. The facial features are reduced to their essential forms, giving the bird an intense and almost mask-like expression. The wings are broad and carefully balanced. Groups of parallel incised lines suggest individual feathers without overwhelming the simplicity of the design, while the lower body terminates in a pair of abbreviated claws. This combination of bold overall form and economical linear detail gives the pendant much of its visual power. The reverse is deliberately more restrained, emphasizing the object's function as a suspended ornament. Two closely positioned perforations near the upper portion would have allowed a cord to pass through the pendant while keeping the suspension arrangement relatively unobtrusive from the front. The openings and surrounding surfaces display evidence of drilling, grinding, and abrasive finishing, while the exterior contours have been repeatedly polished until the edges became smooth and rounded. Owl and bird imagery occupies an important place in prehistoric Chinese material culture. Within discussions of Hongshan ritual imagery, avian forms are often interpreted in relation to ceremonial practice, spiritual symbolism, protection, and concepts surrounding communication between the human and supernatural worlds. As suspended jade ornaments, such objects could also have served as visible expressions of identity and status, while examples placed in burials suggest meanings extending beyond everyday personal adornment. Particularly successful in this example is the balance between abstraction and recognition. The maker needed only a handful of elements—circular eyes, pointed beak, horizontal wings, linear feathering, and abbreviated claws—to create an unmistakable bird image. The result is not naturalistic in the modern sense; instead, it possesses the concentrated, emblematic quality that gives prehistoric jade sculpture its enduring visual appeal. With its compact proportions, balanced silhouette, expressive owl imagery, chicken-bone white surface, restrained incised decoration, and carefully integrated suspension system, this piece represents a compelling example of the sophisticated minimalist aesthetic associated with prehistoric Chinese jade ornament and would make a distinctive study piece within a collection devoted to Hongshan material culture and early Chinese jade-working traditions.

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