Neolithic Hongshan Culture Calcified “Chicken-Bone White” Jade Tubular Ornament with Four Animal Masks

拍品描述

Dimensions: L. 4 cm (approx. 1.57 in / 0.13 ft); H. 2.6 cm (approx. 1.02 in / 0.09 ft); weight 64 g (approx. 2.26 oz); approximately 7500–2900 BCE, 75th–29th century BCE，Condition & Provenance: Overall intact condition. The calcified “chicken-bone white” jade has developed a soft cream-to-ivory surface with naturally distributed ochre-brown earth deposits, darker mineral accretions, weathered surface markings, and localized wear. The four sculpted animal masks and central perforation remain clearly defined. Provenance: Private Collection, New Jersey, USA.Description: This compact tubular ornament is carved from heavily calcified “chicken-bone white” jade and is conceived as a strongly sculptural ritual ornament associated with Hongshan visual traditions. The surface has developed a warm cream-white tone with irregular ochre-brown deposits, darker mineral accretions, fine interconnected weathering lines, and areas of age-related wear, producing a richly textured archaic appearance. The object is formed as a low, thick-walled cylinder centered by a large vertical perforation. The interior of the opening retains darker deposits and visible working traces, while its substantial diameter would have allowed the piece to function as a suspension or attachment element. Around the exterior are four evenly spaced animal masks modeled in shallow relief. Each is built from broad, rounded volumes rather than sharp angular cuts: prominent upper lobes frame large oval eye forms, sweeping curved ridges define the brow and facial structure, and compressed lower elements suggest the muzzle. Viewed from above, the four masks form a continuous sculptural rhythm around the central opening; viewed from the side, their raised contours give the small object an unexpectedly monumental presence. The surfaces have been repeatedly rounded and polished, leaving the transitions between the masks and cylindrical body smooth and restrained. The combination of an axial perforation, four-directional animal imagery, compact proportions, and simplified curvilinear modeling gives the piece a powerful prehistoric character. Despite its modest scale, the carving integrates four animal faces and a functional tubular structure into a unified composition, making it a distinctive example of early Chinese jade ornament and the symbolic animal imagery associated with prehistoric ritual culture.

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