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Published: Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, The Beginning of the World. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Fondation Baur, Geneva, 2020, p. 28, no. 7.
Exhibited:
1. Fondation Baur, The Beginning of the World – According to the Chinese. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Geneva, 11 November 2020-23 May 2021.
2. Musée Départemental des Arts Asiatiques, The Beginning of the World – According to the Chinese. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Nice, Summer 2021.
China, c. 2300-1800 BC. The gently waisted blade flaring towards the strikingly curved end, opposite the tang on the other end above a pierced hole and toothed projections on either side. The mostly opaque stone is of a dark green hue with black shadings, streaks, and specks.
Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Very good condition with expected ancient wear, soil encrustations with remnants of ancient cinnabar, the stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks. Traces of weathering and erosion. Microscopic nicks.
Weight: 475 g
Dimensions: Height 47.6 cm
Large jade blades such as the present example have no direct prototypes among Neolithic stone tools, and the origin of their distinctive shape remains unknown (see Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, p. 188). Often finely and thinly carved at considerable scale, these blades suggest a ceremonial function and have also been interpreted as sceptres. While this type flourished during the Erlitou period in the Central Plains, its broader distribution is striking—yet notably focused on two key sites: Guanghan in Sichuan and Shimao in northern Shaanxi (see Yang Boda, ‘Jade Zhang in the Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing,’ in Chinese Jade. Selected Articles from Orientations 1983-1996, pp. 141-146; and Jessica Rawson, ibid., pp. 188-191). The strong presence of such blades at Shimao, particularly in elite contexts, underscores their importance within its ceremonial and political landscape.
The Shimao Culture has dramatically reshaped how we understand the origins of complex society in ancient China, challenging long-held views that early civilization radiated solely from the Central Plains. Discovered in the 1970s but only recognized as a major urban site decades later, Shimao was a massive stone-walled city in northern Shaanxi, complete with fortifications, palatial terraces, jade-inlaid walls, and zones for ritual sacrifice. Its monumental architecture—including a stepped pyramid crowned by elite residences—and its evidence of advanced craft production and long-distance exchange suggest it was not a periphery, but a dynamic heartland. Far from being a passive recipient of influence, Shimao appears to have been a powerful, independent center of exchange and innovation at the origin of many Middle Yellow River traditions, which would inform the development of the slightly later Erlitou culture.
Expert’s note:
The present blade is also comparable to examples excavated from ritual pits at the Xinzhai Wenhuazui site in Henan province (see Deng Cong, Yazhang yu guojia qiyuan, Beijing, 2018, no. 4), further supporting its function in pre-Erlitou sacrificial contexts. According to research by Japanese archaeologist Okamura Hidenori, the yazhang originated as a ritual object used in sacrificial rites before the Erlitou Culture, becoming one of the most important ceremonial jade types during the Erlitou period itself.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 November 2020, lot 2702
Price: HKD 2,250,000 or approx. EUR 264,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A dark green jade ceremonial blade, Yazhang, Erlitou culture or slightly earlier
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone, with similar toothed projections and dark green color. Note the size (32 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 April 2024, lot 3610
Price: HKD 5,842,000 or approx. EUR 650,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare and large jade ceremonial blade, yazhang, Neolithic period to early Shang dynasty, c. 2000-1500 BC
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone. Note the size (35.8 cm).
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