Hongshan Culture (7500–2900 BCE) Calcified “Chicken-Bone White” Jade Carved Double-Horned Sun Deity Figure

拍品描述

Dimensions: H. 9 cm (approx. 3.54 in / 0.30 ft); W. 5 cm (approx. 1.97 in / 0.16 ft); weight 131 g (approx. 4.62 oz); approximately 75th–29th century BCE，Condition & Provenance: Overall intact condition. The calcified “chicken-bone white” jade ranges from creamy white to warm ivory, with naturally distributed ochre-brown staining, gray-black mineral deposits, and fine weathering lines. Darker accretions remain within several perforations and recessed incised areas. The double horns, pointed ears, geometric facial decoration, limbs, and openwork passages remain clearly defined, while the surfaces retain a softly polished appearance. Provenance: Private Collection, Washington State, USA.，Description: This striking Hongshan Culture figure is carved in the round from a single substantial piece of calcified “chicken-bone white” jade. The material has developed a warm ivory-white surface enriched by irregular ochre-brown staining, darker gray-black deposits, fine interconnected weathering lines, and a softly matured surface character. Sculpturally, the figure is conceived as a compact squatting deity dominated by an extraordinary pair of tall, rounded horns. Rising vertically above the head and separated by a deep narrow channel, the horns account for nearly half the overall height of the carving and give the figure an unusually commanding silhouette. Pointed ears project laterally beneath the horns. The forehead is articulated with a carefully incised geometric panel of crosshatched diamonds framed by multiple parallel lines. Below, restrained eyes, a descending central ridge, and a sharply projecting beak-like muzzle create an abstract face of remarkable visual intensity. The body is shown in a tightly crouched position, with both arms bent inward across the upper torso and the massive legs drawn upward before narrowing toward the feet. Short parallel incisions articulate the knees, hands, and feet without compromising the broad, smoothly modeled volumes that define the sculpture. Openwork passages between the arms and torso, together with a vertical opening between the legs, introduce strong negative spaces into an otherwise compact composition. Additional perforations near the base of the horns further emphasize the object's potential function as a suspended or ritual jade. The entire carving has been extensively ground and polished, producing rounded transitions rather than sharp angular planes. Incised lines remain comparatively restrained and serve primarily to articulate the facial geometry and anatomical divisions. At 9 cm high and weighing 131 grams, the object possesses an impressive physical presence despite its portable scale. The exaggerated double-horned headdress, geometric forehead ornament, pointed ears, crouching posture, and carefully organized openwork give the figure a distinctly ceremonial character. Viewed frontally, its strong bilateral symmetry and towering horns lend it the presence of a miniature monument, while the close-up details reveal the deliberate contrast between boldly modeled volumes and finely incised decoration. As a sculptural type, the figure evokes the complex relationship among supernatural imagery, ritual practice, and the natural world that characterizes the visual language traditionally associated with prehistoric jade carving.

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