1. Bought from Seaokue Yue [You Xiaoxi] 游筱溪, of Shanghai 上海. Formerly in the collection of the Viceroy Tuan Fang [Duanfang] 端方, and said to have been excavated in Hsia his [Xiaxi] 下溪, Chekiang [Zhejiang] 浙江. For price, see Original Miscellaneous List, p. 339. $300.
2. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Original attribution: Chinese. Period unknown. See further, S.I. 1424, Appendix IX.
3. (Isabel Ingram Mayer, 1945) Han 漢 dynasty.
4. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Sp. G. is 2.946.
5. (H. Elise Buckman, 1964) The Envelope File contained no further information, and has now been destroyed.
6. (Thomas Lawton, 1978) The ring may be Han 漢, and if it is, the ornamentation was added later; stylistically the design does not convince as Han 漢.
7. (Julia K. Murray, 1980) Attribution is changed from Han 漢 to Neolithic, ca. 2000 BCE. Exhibition Studies in Connoisseurship: 1923--1983 label text; moved to label field.
8. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) For a discussion of bangles, see Folder Sheet F1917.387. In shape and proportions, bangle F1919.46 most resembles one found in the lower layer at Shih hsia [Shixia] 石峽, Ch'u chiang [Qujiang] 曲江 in Kwangtung [Guangdong] 廣東 province (Kwangtung sheng po-wu-kuan [Guangdong sheng bowuguan] 廣東省博物館 and Ch'u chiang hsien wen-hua-chu Shih-hsia fa-chueh hsiao-tsu [Qujiang xian wenhuaju Shixia fajue xiaozu] 曲江縣文化局石峽發掘小組, "Kwangtung Ch'u-chiang Shih-hsia mu-tsang fa-chueh chien-pao [Guangdong Qujiang Shixia muzang fajue jianbao] 廣東曲江石峽墓葬發掘簡報," Wen wu [Wenwu] 文物 1978.7, p. 15, fig. 29 [M59:39]). The grave in which it was found belongs to the 3rd period, which has been dated to the middle of the 3rd millennium BCE. The designs on F1919.46 are not deeply cut, and the incising technique not very sophisticated. In view of finds of jades with raised line decor in the Early Shang 商 remains at Erh li t'ou [Erlitou] 二里頭, Yen shih [Yanshi] 偃師, in Honan [Henan] 河南 province (Chung-kuo k'e-hsueh yuan k'ao-ku yen-chiu-suo Erh li t'ou kung-tso-tui [Zhongguo kexueyuan kaogu yanjiusuo Erlitou gongzuodui] 中國科學院考古研究所二里頭工作隊, "Yen-shih Erh-li-t'ou i-chih hsin fa-hsien ti t'ung-ch'i ho yu-ch'i [Yanshi Erlitou yizhi xin faxian de tongqi he yuqi] 偃師二里頭遺址新發現的銅器和玉器," K'ao ku [Kaogu] 考古 1976.4, p. 262, fig. 6:1), it seems possible that the workmanship on bangle F1919.46 could be early.
9. See F1916.628, no. 10.
10. (Stephen Allee per Keith Wilson, March 3, 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.
11. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 1, 2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification.
12. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, June 10, 2010) Title changed from "Bracelet" to "Bracelet with geometric decoration"; changed "Liangzhu 良渚 culture" to "Longshan 龍山 culture"; deleted "Lake Tai 太湖 region" from geographical location; date changed from "3300--2250 BCE" to "ca. 2000--1700 BCE."
13. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, May 10, 2016) Maker changed from "Probably" Longshan culture to Liangzhu culture, with object date changed from ca. 2000-1700 BCE to ca. 3300-2250 BCE.
Draft catalogue entry for F1919.46; by Jenny F. So (2003)
Bracelet
Neolithic period, ca. 3000--2500 BCE
Liangzhu 良渚 culture, Lake Tai 太湖 region
Nephrite, translucent pale olive gray-green with dark brown patches
D 7.18--7.34 cm; of hole 6.64--6.71 cm; H 4.88--5.00 cm; 0.30--0.44 cm thick
F1919.46
Similar to the bracelet F1917.385 in material, height, and shape, this is larger in all dimensions, with the same slightly concave outer wall and warm unctuous polish. Like F1917.385, it also enjoys the unique distinction of being the only one of its kind known; but here, not enigmatic emblems but an overall design on its surface sets it apart from all ancient bracelets.
The entire outer surface of the bracelet is covered with patterns that divide into a main register and two narrow borders. The main register occupies about three-quarters its height and is filled with ribbon-like overlapping and interweaving bands defined by double incised lines arranged in symmetrical configurations around a pair of squared eye-like elements. These are repeated six times around the bracelet in four quadrants. Two pairs are seen right-side-up directly across from each other along the long axis of the bracelet; the four remaining are turned ninety degrees--i.e., seen sideways--and placed back-to-back along the short axis. Narrow registers at top and bottom act as borders, each filled with an interweaving zigzag design also executed in fine incised lines, but very densely packed to create a different texture from the broad ribbons in the middle.
This is the only bracelet known to carry these designs. However, dense interweaving bands constitute the primary patterns found on many Liangzhu 良渚 ceramics (Fig. 1). [1] The close similarities between the bracelet's design and jade and pottery design on artifacts around the Lake Tai 太湖 region, as well as its similarities in material, proportions, and silhouette to other Liangzhu 良渚 bracelets (see draft catalogue entry F1917.385) would suggest a likely Liangzhu 良渚 provenance for this unusual bracelet.
Published: Julia K. Murray, "Neolithic Chinese Jades in the Freer Gallery of Art," Orientations 14, no. 11 (1983), p. 21, fig. 20.
Figure:
1. Openwork interweaving design on stem of black pottery vessel from Songze 崧澤 (ca. 3500--3000 BCE), Shanghai 上海. Jenny F. So photograph.
[1] Shanghai shi wenwu baoguan weiyuanhui 上海市文物保管委員會, Songze: Xinshiqi shidai yizhi fajue baogao 崧澤--新時期時代遺址發掘報告 (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 1987), pls. 68--69. For examples in jades, see Zhejiang sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo 浙江省文物考古研究所, Shanghai shi wenwu guanli weiyuanhui 上海市文物管理委员会, and Nanjing bowuyuan 南京博物院, Liangzhu wenhua yuqi 良渚文化玉器 (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, and Hong Kong: Liangmu chubanshe, 1989), nos. 24--25, pp. 119, 132.
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