86 - A JADE HAIRPIN ORNAMENT, HONGSHAN CULTURE, NORTH-EAST CHINA, NEOLITHIC PERIOD

A JADE HAIRPIN ORNAMENT, HONGSHAN CULTURE, NORTH-EAST CHINA, NEOLITHIC PERIOD Dimensions: Height 13 cm Wide 2,5 cm Depth 1 cm Weight: 58 grams An elongated jade or hardstone ornament of gently curved form, the shaft carved with a sequence of evenly spaced transverse ribs. One end is smoothly rounded while the other tapers, and a drilled lateral perforation near the upper section allows for attachment or suspension. The stone is dark grey to greenish-grey with a subdued, weathered surface. Visually, the object is striking for its deliberate abstraction: rhythm is created almost entirely through the repeated ribbing and the subtle curvature of the narrow body rather than through figural decoration.