Jade. China, in the style of the Neolithic Hongshan Culture
Large C-shaped dragon, as it often appears in the Neolithic Hongshan culture. Curled back, cattle-like snout, sharp eyes flowing backwards, extremely long and upwardly curved horn in the shape of a blade. An eyelet, ingrained conically from both sides, in the middle of the C-arch - may have possible been re-smoothed or applied at a later point in time. The piece could not have been worn as a pendant, but instead – provided it is authentic – functioned purely as a burial object. The green-yellow mineral shows distinct signs of age.
HEIGHT 20,5 CM, PERIMETER 48 CM
Note: This type of C-shaped dragon is very rare. A similar specimen (only given dimension: perimeter 60 cm) is published in the book Yuqi (Vol. 1, No. 9), concerned with the jade collection in the Palace Museum.
From an Austrian post-war collection