HAN DYNASTY
Both carved from white jade, one sword guard presents a relatively unblemished appearance, while the other is covered in rust. The unblemished sword guard features the bas-relief of a bestial face on one side, and the high relief of a dragon on the other. The rusted sword guard features similar $ornamentations for both its sides - bestial faces with long eyebrows. During the Han Dynasty, the jade sword guard was set on the front end of a sword hilt as top-quality gear to protect the holder’s palms. Due to the thermal expansion and contraction of metal within the jade sword guards, it is common for these types of artifacts to break apart when excavated. However, not only is this set of sword guards complete, it serves as a product of fine craftsmanship, making it an invaluable item. L: 6 cm, 5 cm