1. (Undated Folder Sheet note) A number of jades of this unusual, elliptical shape are known. While their original function remains uncertain, suggestions offered about their use range from hair ornaments, ceremonial grain scoops, to ceremonial cuffs. Opinions about the date of these jades has also varied. The periods from Western Zhou 周 through the Ming 明 dynasties have all been proposed during the past few decades.
Uncertainties about the date of these enigmatic objects were resolved by the discovery of a jade of the same type in Liaoning 遼寧 province in 1973. In the Chinese archaeological report, the excavated jade is described as being in the shape of a horse's hoof. It is also said to have been fashioned of blackish-green jade and to be tubular in shape, with the opening at one end being flat; the opening at the opposite sloping end is diagonal in profile. While most jades of this type are plain, an example in the Winthrop collection is decorated with a series of concentric ridges (1943.50.628). More remarkable is a tubular ornament, formerly in the Raphael collection (now in the British Museum, 1945,1017.1), in which an animal mask covers most of the surface. It is reasonable to suggest that the mask is a later addition.
The tubular ornament found in Liaoning 遼寧 province is one of approximately 100 pieces of jade that have been identified as being representative of the Hongshan 紅山 culture in northeastern China and as dating from the late Neolithic period. On the basis of Carbon-14 dating, the jades associated with the Hongshan 紅山 culture have been assigned to the period ca. 3000 BCE.
2. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 1, 2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification.
3. (Stephen Allee, March 25, 2009) As per Jenny F. So, Jade Project Database, changed Date from "ca. 3000 BCE" to "ca. 3500--ca. 3000 BCE"; and added "Hongshan 紅山 culture" as Artist. Jenny F. So also gives Title as "Tubular ornament"; but as per Keith Wilson, current Title "Headdress" is retained, while Object Name "Headdress" is changed to "Jewelry." Designation "nephrite" added to Medium "Jade," as per Janet Douglas, using x ray diffraction (October 1997). Added Measurements (H x W: 14.62 x 9.52), as per Christine Lee, Jade Project Database.
4. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, August 18, 2016) Period changed from "Neolithic period" to "Late Neolithic period"; date changed from "ca. 3500-3000 BCE" to "20th century"; title changed from "Headdress" to "Tubular head ornament"; changed artist from "Hongshan culture" to "Forgery in the style of the Neolithic Hongshan culture (ca. 3800-ca. 2700 BCE)"; changed geography from "Liaoning province, China" to "China"; added description and past label text.
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