Liangzhu Culture (3400-2250 BC)

Liangzhu Culture can be dated back four to five thousands years</a>. The area covered mainly <a href="http://www.jiangsu.net/map/regions/laketaihu.php">Lake Taihu areas</a>, large lake between Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, eastern China. The variety of jade artifacts of Liangzhu Culture includes jade cong, jade arched plaque and ax-shape plaque. With the spirit’s face as the major motif, the Liangzhu Culture jade artifacts are featuring slim incised lines. The jade artifacts of Liangzhu Culture have three significant elements worth considerations. The first element is the impact on the motifs of jade artifacts of the later periods. The god’s face motif constitutes the major motifs of the Spring and Autumn Period. The curling craws shown under the God’s face constitute the craws of dragon for the Shang and Western zhou periods. Second, many Liangzhu Culture jade artifacts can be seen smooth cut on the surface of the motif that can be interpreted as some kind of records of important events such as prays and sad memory.Third, many jades are seen have imperfect structures which have been wrongly interpreted as form changed due to the constraint of the material. Because of the extraordinary elegant workmanship, Liangzhu Culture jade artifacts are always the most favorite collection items for professional collectors worldwide. No wonder that the prices of Liangzhu Culture jade artifacts are always high in international auctions.
Liangzhu Culture,Jade Plaque, L.17cm, W.7.5cm
<strong><em>Identification:</em></strong>
Based on the motif and carving style, the object is identified as Liangzhu Culture jade plaque, similar item is seen as jade plaque, H.5.6cm, W.13.8cm,T.0.7cm,unearthed in 1986 at Graveyard of Fan Shan Village, Zhi Shan Country,  Chang Ming County, Yuhang District, A collection of Zhejiang Provincial Achaeologist Instutute. Antiquity evidences include differential weathering, additive crystal and dissolved pits.

Liangzhu Culture,Crown Shape Jade Plaque, L.13.5cm, W.6.5cm

<strong><em>Identification:</em></strong>

Based on the motif and carving style, the object is identified as Liangzhu Culture jade plaque, similar item is seen as Crown shape jade plaque H.6cm, Upper W. 9.15cm, Lower W.7.5cm, T.0.35cm,unearthed in 1986 at Graveyard of Fan Shan Village, Zhi Shan Country,  Chang Ming County, Yuhang District, A collection of Zhejiang Provincial Achaeologist Instutute. Antiquity evidences include differential weathering, and dissolved pits.

Liangzhu Culture, Jade Trident, w.30cm, h.17cm

<strong><em>Identification</em></strong>:

The jade material and carving style of this object is similar to those of Liangzhu Culture Jade Trident, H.3.65cm, w.5.9cm, Unearthed from Fan Shan Graveyard, Chih Shan Village, Chang Min Township, Yu Hang County, Zhejiang Province,1986, A collection of Archaeology Institute of Zhejiang Province.Antiquity evidences include differential weathering and exposed crystal planes.

Liangzhu Culture Jade Septic, L.33.5cm, W.3.5cm

<strong><em>Identification</em>:</strong>

Based on the carving style and motif, the object is identified as Liangzhu Culture jade septic. Similar object is seen for the awl shape jade of L. 34cm, W.1.5cm, unearthed in 1982 from Graveyard N0.9 Fuquan San District, Qingpu, Shanghai Municipality. A collection of Regulatory Commission of Shanghai Municipality.  Antiquity evidences include differential weathering, dissolved pits and additive crystals.
Liangzhu Culture,W. 8.3cm, H.17cm
<strong><em>Identification</em>:</strong>
With a flat back side, the cicada has two high relief rectangular eyes on each side of the head. A circular line with intersections design is at the neck. The wings are carved with 60 degree round curve by the technique of surface pressed down to show the raising effect. The tail is seen the shape of saw notches. The typical deity face motif of Liangzhu culture is seen on  the back.  With streamline carving and mastery workmanship, this cicada is one of the masterpiece of Liangzhu jade. Antiquity evidences include differential weathering,additive crystal, exposed crystal plane and dissolved pits.
Liangzhu Culture, Jade Plaque, L. 7cm
<strong><em>Identification</em>:</strong>
Based on the carving style and motif characteristics, thw object is identified as Liangzhu Culture jade plaque. With oval shape eyes carved by incised lines different from  trenches made by metal tube like other Liangzhu jades. The  exaggerated eyes are supposed to be those of mysterious bird as seen as the typical motif of Liangzhu cultural jades. There are two pairs of two directional holes on both ends of vertical edges on the top edge of the plaque. Antiquity evidences include differential weathering and additive crystals.
Liangzhu Culture, H. 11.8cm, D. 19cm,  11kgs
<strong><em>Identification</em></strong>:
This cong is similar in design but bigger than the one( H. 8.8cm, E.D. 17.6cm, Weight 6.5kgs ) unearthed from Fan Shan Graveyard, Chih Shan Village, Chang Min Township, Yu Hang County, Zhejiang Province,1986, A collection of Archaeology Institute of Zhejiang Province.Antiquity evidences include differential weathering and additive crystals.

Liangzhu Culture, H.7cm, D.5cm
<strong><em>Identification:</em></strong>
The motif of God human is carved with low relief technique. The design of motif has the completeness with everything include crown, head, hand, chest, lower part body and feet. The single hook and double hook auspicious cloud have the sign of carving style in Western Zhou Dynasty. Antiquity evidences include additive crystal, diffusive marking and cleaving vein.
Liangzhu Culture, H.22.48cm
<strong><em>Identification</em>:</strong>
Based on the design motif and carving style, the object is identified as Liangszhu Culture jade cong. Similar object can be seen in the Palace Museum collection: H.31cm, Upper with 7.4cm. Autiquity evidence is mainly dissolved pits.
Liangzhu Culture, Huang Pair, D.14.5cm
<strong><em>Identification</em></strong>:
Based on the motif and carving style, this object is identified as Jade Huang of Liangzhu Cultural. The more detail design and low relief motif of bird eyes may be a evidence of jade huang from later period of Liangzhu Culture. Antiquity evidences include additive crystal, diffusive marking and differential weathering.
Liangzhu Culture, Jade Cong,H.30.5cm, W. 6cm.
<strong><em>Identification</em>:</strong>
Carved with white jade, the cong has eight sections alternating arrangement of deity faces and crowns which has curvature cut mark that may be interpreted as the recording of the pass away of the queen. Comparing to the typical Liangzhu cons, this one has employed more elements of low relief carvings such as the eyes of the deity.  Antiquity evidences include dissolved pits, additive crystal, cleaving vein & deteriorate marking.