A Large Chinese Jade / Hardstone Cong – Neolithic or Later. The colour of the stone mottled green / yellowish-brown. The hole in its centre drilled at both ends and meeting in the middle. Horizontal grooves have been cut into the body to produce eight sections, the corners of each carved with “proto-monster” mask designs and thin parallel lines. Similarly decorated cong have been attributed to the Neolithic Liangzhu culture in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Height 34cm (13.5 inches). Neolithic period or later.

Provenance: from the collection of the late Brian Page (1938-2018), the well-known Oriental art and antiques dealer from Brighton.