1. Bought from Seaouke Yue [You Xiaoxi] 游筱溪, of Shanghai 上海, in New York. For price, see Original Miscellaneous List, p. 236. $200.
2. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Original attribution: Chinese. Hsia [Xia] 夏. See further, S.I. 1057, Appendix VIII (see Paragraph 7).
3. (John Ellerton Lodge, 1929) Late Chou [Zhou] 周?
4. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Sp. G. is 2.591. Serpentine?
5. (Archibald Gibson Wenley, 1946) Period uncertain. See also F1917.378c, F1917.378d, and F1917.380.
6. (William B. Trousdale, 1964) Chou [Zhou] 周 dynasty. Western Chou [Zhou] 周, 9th--8th century BCE.
7. (H. Elise Buckman, 1964) The Envelope File contained no further information, and has now been destroyed.
8. (Julia K. Murray, 1980) Attribution is changed from Western Chou [Zhou] 周 to Neolithic, ca. 2000 BCE.
9. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) In shape the plaque F1916.511 resembles one excavated from a site belonging to the late phase of the Liang chu [Liangzhu] 良渚 culture of the East Coast Neolithic (see Ch'en Tso fu [Chen Zuofu] 陳左夫, "Liang-chu ku-yu t'an-t'ao [Liangzhu guyu tantao] 良渚古玉探討," K'ao ku t'ung hsun [Kaogu tongxun] 考古通訊 1957.2, pl. 12:15), a type represented in the Freer collection by plaques F1917.380, F1917.378c, and F1917.378d. The decor of F1916.511, however, belongs with a type primarily found on ts'ung [cong] 琮 from the late Liang chu [Liangzhu] 良渚 context. (See Nanking po-wu-yuan [Nanjing bowuyuan] 南京博物院, "Kiangsu Wu-hsien Ts'ao-hsieh-shan i-chih [Jiangsu Wu xian Caoxieshan yizhi] 江蘇吳縣草鞋山遺址," Wen wu tzu liao ts'ung k'an [Wenwu ziliao congkan] 文物資料叢刊 3 (1980), pl. 3:1 for one such ts'ung [cong] 琮, excavated from Ts'ao hsieh shan [Caoxieshan] 草鞋山, Wu hsien [Wu xian] 吳縣 in Kiangsu [Jiangsu] 江蘇 province; also see Freer ts'ung [cong] 琮 F1916.118.) The design on the Freer plaque F1916.511 differs from that on the ts'ung [cong] 琮 in that the raised motifs are all covered with incised meander patterns; and arms ending in long claws are incised beside and below the "face." The form of this demonic design and its symmetrical, centered arrangement on the surface of the plaque suggest that it may represent a forerunner of the t'ao t'ieh [taotie] 饕餮 mask found in Bronze Age decor.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a closely related plaque (acc. no. 18.63) bearing the same design, with its details slightly less clearly incised (possibly damaged).
The design on the related Freer plaque F1917.380 may be viewed as a simpler version of that on F1916.511 as it lacks the incised meanders and arms with claws of the latter. Both plaques, as well as the undecorated F1917.378c and F1917.378d, are drilled with three pairs of holes on the back surface, possibly intended for attaching the plaque to another object or for stringing it together with other pendant elements.
Another related plaque is in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (acc. no. 50.46.230); see Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Chinese Jades: Archaic and Modern (Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle, 1977), cat. 91. The design on this example has a more elaborate crest and no arms-with-claws.
10. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) A review of the Original Miscellaneous List shows that this object was excavated in Hsiaki [Xiaxi] 下溪, Chekiang [Zhejiang] 浙江.
11. (Undated Folder Sheet note) See F1916.118, no. 10.
12. (Stephen Allee per Keith Wilson, February 5, 2008) On this date entered: Period One (Late Neolithic period), Date (3300--2250 BCE), Artist (Liangzhu 良渚 culture), Title, Object name, Geographical region (Lake Tai 太湖 region); plus Dimensions per Christine Lee, from Jade Project Database.
13. (Stephen Allee, May 29, 2008) Added designation "nephrite" to Medium as per Elisabeth W. Fitzhugh, December 1982, as determined by x ray diffraction.
14. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 1, 2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification.
15. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, December 2, 2010) Title changed from "Headdress with mask" to "Head ornament with mask." Object name changed from "Headdress" to "Head ornament."
16. (Thomas Lawton, Draft entry for proposed Freer/Sackler collections handbook, August 15, 2001)
Jade plaque, Late Neolithic period, Lianzhu culture, circa 3000-2500 B.C., Height 6.9 cm, F1916.511
For many years, the date and provenance of this small jade plaque were uncertain. Quite unexpectedly, archaeological finds in southeastern China in the 1980s revealed a late Neolithic regional culture centered in the area of Lake Tai in Jiangsu province. Characteristic features of Liangzhu jades are the polished surface of this example, and the elaborate mask dominated by raised eyes, nose and mouth. Embellishing these features, looking curiously like tattoos, are fine, densely arranged lines that also define what appear to be clawed arms. Although the actual function of this plaque remains unknown, pairs of holes on the back suggest it might have been attached to clothing or a headdress, perhaps of a shaman or tribal leader.
Draft catalogue entry for F1916.511; by Jenny F. So (2003)
Two lunette-shaped ornaments
Neolithic period, ca. 3000--2500 BCE
Liangzhu 良渚 culture, Lake Tai 太湖 region
Nephrite, opaque mottled cream and tan with white streaks
H 6.85 x W 8.02 × 1.00 cm thick
F1916.511
These lunette shaped plaques are not flat. Their backs are gently concave to match the subtle convexity of the front. The flat bottom also curves up slightly. On the back, three sets of linked holes placed in triangular configuration--one near the rounded top, and one each near the corners at the bottom--were drilled for attachment.
On the larger plaque (F1916.511), the front shows an animal image identical to those found on many Liangzhu 良渚 cong 琮 (see F1916.118): large pointed oval eyes with circular pupils, a pointed connection between them on the forehead, over an elongated oval nose and an even longer oval mouth. All this is done in very low relief, with their interior surfaces densely filled by miniscule geometric patterns incised in superfine lines, much of them now worn beyond recognition. Incised and extending from either side of this image are arm like appendages that bend forward to meet in claws just below the mouth. These are also filled with the same minute geometric patterns. On the smaller plaque (F1917.380), the animal image is surmounted by a human image wearing a feathered headdress resembling motifs found on the renowned large cong 琮 from Fanshan 反山 (M12:98), [1] but the designs on the Freer piece are so worn (especially the human image) that they are barely visible. Two related plaques acquired at the same time as the smaller plaque (F1917.380) in 1917 are undecorated (F1917.378c and F1917.378d).
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, has a virtually identical plaque that may conceivably have come from the same set. [2] Recent excavations of Liangzhu 良渚 sites in Zhejiang 浙江 province reveal that these ornaments usually occur in sets of four, and only in the richest tombs in the Yuhang 餘杭 area. Four of five sets recovered came from graves at Fanshan 反山; the remaining set was recovered from looters of M12 at Yaoshan 瑤山. [3] Of the five sets recovered, only one set (from M22 at Fanshan 反山) is decorated with a face like design like the Freer's. [4] The rest are plain like F1917.378c and F1917.378d. Based on the relationship of the plaques in M12 at Yaoshan 瑤山, archaeologists suggested that the sets were sewn on as ornaments on cloth headdresses worn by the deceased. Since these plaques have so far only come from Liangzhu 良渚 graves, they are regarded as unique to the Liangzhu 良渚 people. Their rarity signifies unusual status for their owners. The sets decorated with animal images like the Freer's probably enjoyed even higher status as they might also indicate that the wearer possessed special powers implied by the image of the creature that adorns it.
It is therefore interesting to note that on rare occasions, for example at M74 in Fuquanshan 福泉山 outside Shanghai 上海, only a single plaque has been recovered from a grave, and often together with jade beads. M22 at Fanshan 反山 also yielded a single plaque, again with beads. [5] Both plaques have two additional holes drilled from back to front at the bottom so that it can be strung with beads to form a necklace. This suggests that after their manufacture, the sets of four might have been separated--given away as gifts or forcibly taken from their owners under unknown circumstances. Their new function in new contexts would then have resulted in the new drillings.
[1] Zhejiang sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo 浙江省文物考古研究所, Fanshan 反山 (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 2005), vol. 1, pp. 43--59; vol. 2, pls. 141--215.
[2] Rogers Fund, acc. no. 18.63. Acquired in 1918 from Tonying and Company, in New York, closely comparable in size, and showing a similarly worn opaque yellowish tan surface, the Metropolitan plaque might have been part of a set with F1916.511 separated and sold individually as dealers often did without fully comprehending the meaning and the functions of such object sets. A third example is in the Pillsbury collection, Minneapolis Institute of Arts (acc. no. 50.46.230). Its design shows the creature surmounted by a humanoid head wearing a feathered headdress similar to the design on the large cong 琮 from Fanshan 反山 (M12:98), but lacking arms or legs.
[3] From M12, M14, M22, M23; see Zhejiang sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo 浙江省文物考古研究所, Shanghai shi wenwu guanli weiyuanhui 上海市文物管理委員會, and Nanjing bowuyuan 南京博物院, Liangzhu wenhua yuqi 良渚文化玉器 (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, Xianggang: Liangmu chubanshe, 1989), nos. 151--53, 155; Jean James, "Images of power: Masks of the Liangzhu culture," Orientations 22, no. 6 (1991), p. 54.
[4] Zhejiang sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo 浙江省文物考古研究所, Shanghai shi wenwu guanli weiyuanhui 上海市文物管理委員會, and Nanjing bowuyuan 南京博物院, Liangzhu wenhua yuqi 良渚文化玉器 (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, Xianggang: Liangmu chubanshe, 1989), no. 152.
[5] Huang Xuanpei 黃宣佩, Fuquanshan: Xinshiqishidai yizhi fajue baogao 福泉山: 新石器时代遗址发掘报告 (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 2000), pl. 20:5--6; Zhejiang sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo 浙江省文物考古研究所, Shanghai shi wenwu guanli weiyuanhui 上海市文物管理委員會, and Nanjing bowuyuan 南京博物院, Liangzhu wenhua yuqi 良渚文化玉器 (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, Xianggang: Liangmu chubanshe, 1989), no. 164.
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