Northeast China, Hongshan culture, Neolithic Period, ca. 3800 to 2700 BCE. A natural rock crystal pendant from the Neolithic Honghan culture, carved in the form of a turtle with an endearing visage comprised of round, bulging eyes and nostrils upon its snout, a finely delineated shell, legs, and a pointy tail. Scholars purport that the turtle with its dome-shaped upper shell and flat-shaped undershell symbolized the Chinese conception of the cosmos with its domed sky and relatively flat earth. The turtles legs were believed to hold up and support the sky. Others have argued that the turtle represented longevity, in other words the totality of time rather than the totality of space. This example is laterally perforated under the neck and was likely worn as a pendant or attached to clothing. For many years, scholars believed that Chinese civilization began in the Yellow River valley, but now we know that there were actually earlier cultures both north and south of this region. The Hongshan culture, comprised of a group of Neolithic peoples who lived in the far north-east, in what is modern-day Liaoning province and Inner Mongolia, created a sophisticated society and erected elaborate ceremonial sites that oftentimes included valuable works like this rock crystal turtle pendant. Size: 3" L x 2" W x 1" H (7.6 cm x 5.1 cm x 2.5 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Private LA County collection

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#117242

Intact with black inclusions.