Western Zhou Dynasty Hetian Jade Fully Carved Zoomorphic Beast Pendant,Western Zhou,11th–8th Centuries BC

拍品描述

Measurements:Overall length 4.2 cm / 1.65 inches, overall height 3 cm / 1.18 inches, weight 22 grams, Western Zhou Dynasty, 11th–8th Centuries BCCondition & Provenance:This solid Hetian jade beast is fully intact with no breaks or deep cracks; its ears, snout, nostrils and four legs are completely preserved without chips or restoration. Natural chalky white burial calcification patina spreads across the surface, forming soft, gradual tonal transitions with zero artificial dye or acid treatment fake patina. All incised carving lines carry gentle natural wear formed by thousands of years underground, no modern re-carving or grinding repair work. The original shallow grooves on the base of each foot remain untouched with no later modification. This artifact originates from a respected long-term ancient jade collector based in New York, and was acquired in 2025 by a private pre-Qin jade specialist collection in Seattle, Washington. It has been carefully maintained long-term inside a temperature-controlled, UV-blocking professional storage cabinet.Object Description:This fully three-dimensional carved Hetian jade beast dates to the Western Zhou Dynasty, a wearable jade ornament exclusively owned by Western Zhou aristocrats, serving dual purposes as sacrificial ritual ware and auspicious personal talisman. The entire carving is hewn from a single block of genuine Hetian jade with minimalist, primitive styling. The beast’s head stretches forward with protruding round eyes; a through-drilled hole pierces the snout for cord threading to wear on the body. Two small upright horns sit atop the skull, paired with four sturdy standing legs. Simple vertical incised lines mark each foot to define toes, rendered in clean, concise strokes characteristic of Western Zhou jade carving aesthetics. The jade base tone is creamy off-white with soft yellow undertones. After over two thousand years buried underground, natural chalky white calcified patina blankets the head, limbs and belly, layered evenly across the jade surface under a thick, smooth ancient skin patina full of authentic antique character. Zoomorphic jade pendants were extremely popular during Western Zhou rule, and jade beast sculptures symbolized peace, good fortune and warding off evil spirits. This specimen features well-proportioned shaping, flawless intact condition and totally natural unaltered burial patina, fully embodying the minimalist freehand carving style of Western Zhou jade craft. It is an irreplaceable complete physical artifact for researching Western Zhou jade manufacturing techniques and ancient jade ritual culture, holding tremendous academic research value and high-end antique jade display and collecting appeal.

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