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Height: 11 cm,
width: 3.7 cm,
thickness: 0.7 cm
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Carved from green jade, many of the engraved lines here still retain traces of cinnabar.
Carved in profile are parts of human and dragon forms. The prominent features of the human
heads above, facing in opposite directions, are topped by differing crowns. The torso only
reveals the lower half of the body as if sitting in a position with the legs tucked in.
The human forms blend with the three coiled dragon motifs found on this piece. The human
faces appear similar but are differentiated by the crowns. Two circular holes were drilled
from one side through the neck of the upper dragon, indicating this once was suspended as
a pendant.
This object appears similar to a
figurine excavated from Chang-chia-po, only longer and larger. The decoration is
also more vigorous. The bodies of the humans and dragons are decorated with pairs of
engraved lines. The high, spiraling crown is close to one found on an early Western Chou
jade figurine excavated in Kansu (west-central China). Thus, this work represents an early
style in the middle of the Western Chou.