Dagger-axe (ge) with water buffalo head (fragment)

1. (Undated folder sheet note) Purchased from Ton-Ying & Co., New York. For price, see <u>Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920<e>.

2. (J.A.P., 1944) One of a group of twelve weapons said to have been found at Hsun  Hsien, Wei-hui Fu, Honan Province. (<u>cf<e>. 34.3)

The development of the <u>chi<e> from the <u>ko<e> [chn] was mentioned under 34.8; and it is probable that this weapon should be dated late in the Chou dynasty, if not in Han.

The blade is in such a fragmentary state it is difficult to visualize its original proportions with any accuracy. Both the upper point and bottom of the <u>hu<e> are broken off; and there appears to have been a point extending horizontally forward opposite the <u>nei<e> with a round perforation at its inner end. The back of the vertical blade is flanged for hafting, and three long holes provided the means for binding with a thong. The <u>nei<e> is decorated on each side with a very crudely drawn water buffalo head cast in intaglio; and the end of this member forms two rough tusk-like points. On the blade, opposite the <u>nei<e>, one illegible character is cast on one side, and on the other are the four characters <u>t'ien jen wang tzu<e> [chn] written in archaic style. If, as is not unlikely, this object dates from the Han dynasty, both the inscription and the buffalo head decoration may be called archaistic; and in any case the condition and quality of the whole thing are very poor.

3. (R.J. Gettens, 1962) This bronze was examined and analyzed spectrographically. For details, see Laboratory File.

4. (J. Smith per Keith Wilson, 8/12/2008) Weapon and Armament added as secondary classification.

5. (J. Smith per Keith Wilson, 3/2009)  Dagger axe (ge) with water buffalo head (fragment); Western Zhou dynasty; Purportedly from Xun Xian, Henan Province, China. 6-character inscription.

6. (S. Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, 13 July 2010) Object name changed from "Dagger axe (ge)" to "Weapon"