Object: Pendant in the form of a reptile S2012.9.317

Classification: Jewelry and Ornament

Historical period(s): Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty, ca. 1300-ca. 1050 BCE

Object Date: ca. 1300-ca. 1050 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x W x D: 3.7 × 12.3 × 0.5 cm (1 7/16 × 4 13/16 × 3/16 in)

Origin: China, probably Henan province, Anyang

Credit Line: The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; a joint gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Arthur M. Sackler

Collection: Arthur M. Sackler Collection

Accession Number: S2012.9.317

: 蜥蜴形飾
晚商安陽時期（公元前1300-1050年）
中國，疑似河南安陽市
軟玉
高3.7、寬12.3、厚0.5釐米
史密森博物學院亞瑟·M·賽克勒美術館保羅·辛格中國藝術收藏品；亞瑟·M·賽克勒基金會，保羅·辛格，AMS基金會，及亞瑟·M·賽克勒子女聯合贈送
器物編號：S2012.9.317

Provenance: From at least 1962 to 1997
Paul Singer (1904-1997), Summit, New Jersey, from at least 1962 [1]

From 1997
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, bequeathed by Paul Singer [2]

Notes:

[1] The object was included in an exhibition of Paul Singer’s collection in 1962, see Animal Forms in Chinese Art (New York, Staten Island Museum, September 23 – November 4, 1962), cat. 7 (ill.). The collection of Chinese art and antiquities assembled by Paul Singer over time was purchased by him on behalf of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, Jillian Sackler, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities and later was transferred to the children of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler.

[2] Upon Paul Singer’s death in January 1997, his collection was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery by order of the Executors of the Estate under a loan agreement signed on February 1997. Shortly thereafter, the Sackler Gallery was vested with full ownership and title to the collection in full agreement by the Sackler Foundations and Sackler family members. The formal accession of the Singer collection was completed in 2012.

Previous owner(s): Dr. Paul Singer (1904-1997)

Curatorial Remarks

1. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 17, 2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification.

2. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, June 23, 2010) Object name changed from "Pendant: crocodile" to "Jewelry."

3. (Daisy Yiyou Wang 王依悠, June 13, 2012) There is a slightly raised ridge running along the central axis from its head to tail on the back of the reptile. The surface is decorated with double line relief scrolls. Its eyes are oblong. The surface is largely altered. The underside of the reptile has gray-greenish areas. It is decorated with single line relief echoing but not repeating the design on the back. There is a perforation between its eyes, but it is hard to tell how the perforation is done by visual examination. All sides are beveled except its head. A groove at the front suggests its mouth. There are notches with alternating patterns along each side of its tail.

4. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, May 9, 2018) Period changed from "early Anyang period" to "Anyang period"; geography changed from "China, Henan province, probably Anyang" to "China, probably Henan province, Anyang"; date changed from "ca. 1300-1200 BCE" to "ca. 1300-ca. 1050 BCE"; medium changed from "Jade" to "Jade (nephrite)"; dimensions changed from "H x W x D: 12.3 x 3.7 x 0.5 cm (4 13/16 x 1 7/16 x 3/16 in)" to "H x W x D: 3.7 × 12.3 × 0.5 cm (1 7/16 × 4 13/16 × 3/16 in)"; added Chinese object caption by Jingmin Zhang; and added unpublished research by Wu Tung.

Unpublished Research: Draft catalogue entry (no. 124) for S2012.9.317 for the catalogue of the Singer collection (1970--1990); by Wu Tung [Wu Tong] 吳同
Alligator or Lizard
Shang 商 dynasty, ca. 1200--1050 BCE
Jade
Length 12.3 cm (4 7/8 in)

This jade creature with notched tail probably is inspired by a river reptile such as an alligator or lizard. The underside of the jade is green and the back is light brown. A hole is drilled through the head. The piece is almost identical to the alligator depicted on the side of a Shang 商 bronze vessel found at Shilou 石樓, near the Yellow River 黃河 in western Shanxi 山西 province. [1] The design and carving style are typical of the late Shang 商 period. It is especially similar to a jade bird unearthed from Tomb 5 at Xiaotun 小屯, Henan 河南 province. [2] A double line is engraved on both pieces from the front, while the back is delineated with a single line.

Published: Animal Forms: Animal Forms in Chinese Art (New York: Staten Island Museum, 1962), cat. 7; Max Loehr, Relics of Ancient China: From the Collection of Dr. Paul Singer (New York: Asia Society, 1965), cat. 29.

[1] Xie Qingshan 謝青山 and Yang Shaoshun 楊紹舜, "Shanxi Luliang xian shilou zhen you faxian tongqi 山西呂梁縣石樓鎮又發現銅器," Wenwu 文物 1960.7, p. 51.

[2] Zhongguo kexueyuan kaogu yanjiusuo Anyang gongzuo dui 中國科學院考古研究所安陽工作隊, "Anyang Yinxu wuhao mu de fajue 安陽殷墟五號墓的發掘," Kaogu xuebao 考古學報 1977.2, pl. 33: 5.

Published References

J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .

SI Usage Statement

Usage conditions apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections..

Save this image | Request Permission | Terms of use

Pendant in the form of a reptile

Related Objects

Web Resources