Ritual ImplementsChinese12th-11th century BCE

Jade Bird

12th cent. BCE - 11th cent. BCE

Classification

Ritual Implements

Medium

Translucent greenish nephrite with decomposed, cream-colored specks; traces of cinnabar

Culture

Chinese

Period

Shang dynasty (c. 1600-c. 1050 BCE) to Western Zhou period (c. 1050-771 BCE)

Century

12th-11th century BCE

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Asian Art

Dimensions

5.1 x 2.1 x 0.5 cm (2 x 13/16 x 3/16 in.) unspecified: 10 g

Related Artworks

Ritual Implements

Jade 'Bi' Disk

Unknown Artist, 11th cent. BCE - 771 BCE

Strongly translucent, apple-green nephrite with brown streaks and with opaque, light brown areas where calcification has taken place

11th-8th century BCEChinese

Ritual Implements

Jade Seated Bear in the Round

Unknown Artist, c. 1100-771 BCE

Translucent olive-green, partly discolored nephrite with traces of red pigment

11th-8th century BCEChinese

Ritual Implements

Miniature Wood Stupa with Dharani, one of a set known as the "One Million Pagodas" (Hyakumantō)

Unknown Artist, Nara period, dated 770

Wood stupa with traces of white; printed scroll, ink on paper

8th centuryJapanese

Ritual Implements

Jade Archer's Thumb Ring

Unknown Artist, 19th century

White jadeite with emerald-green markings, the stone of Burmese origin

19th centuryChinese

Ritual Implements

Jade Dagger-Axe with Ornate Tang

Unknown Artist, 16th-10th century BCE

Light buff nephrite with sparse grayish green veins; traces of cinnabar adhering to the surfaces

Chinese

Ritual Implements

Heavy Trapezoidal Jade Knife

Unknown Artist, Longshan or Erlitou culture, c. 2000 - c. 1700 BCE

Black nephrite with very faint markings

2nd millennium BCEChinese

Ritual Implements

Jade Collared Disk

Unknown Artist, c. 1600 - 771 BCE

Ivory-colored nephrite with creamy yellow markings and signs of calcification

Chinese

Ritual Implements

Large Chisel-Like Jade Tablet

Unknown Artist, 770 BCE - 221 BCE (?)

Brown nephrite with light brown markings

Chinese

Ritual Implements

Miniature Wood Stupa, one of a set known as the "One Million Pagodas" (Hyakumantō)

Unknown Artist, 8th century

Wood

8th centuryJapanese

Ritual Implements

Miniature Jade 'Ding' Tripod

Unknown Artist, early 20th century

Opaque, mottled light green and dark brown nephrite

20th centuryChinese

Ritual Implements

Curved Jade Tiger Figure

Unknown Artist, c. 11th cent. BCE - 771 BCE

Translucent light green nephrite

11th-8th century BCEChinese

Ritual Implements

Jade Eye Cover (one of a pair)

Unknown Artist, 25 CE - 220 CE

Light olive-green translucent nephrite with calcified bone-colored spots

1st-3rd century CEChinese