Shang and Zhou Dynasties

商周

1600 BCE — 221 BCE

Jade ornaments dominate the elite record: combs, hairpins, arc-shaped pendants (huang) and slit rings (jue). Ornament was bound up with ritual and rank, and jade working reached a technical peak that later periods looked back to.

Forms in this period

Objects

Two matching arc-shaped nephrite pendants, each carved with an animal mask and interlaced scrolls

Pendant

Pair of Arc-shaped Pendants with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant carved in low relief with an animal mask and interlaced ornament

Pendant

Arc-shaped Pendant with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant with carved animal mask and interlaced scroll pattern

Pendant

Arc-shaped Pendant with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Flat nephrite pendant cut in the silhouette of a fish, with fins and scales incised on the surface

Pendant

Arc-Shaped Jade Fish Pendant

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant, greenish stone, carved with an animal mask at the centre and drilled at both ends for suspension

Pendant

Arc-Shaped Pendant (Huangpei)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Nephrite pendant carved with a coiled dragon and a fish in low relief

Pendant

Pendant with Coiled Dragon and Fish

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Pendant

Jade Bird Pendant

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant with a small human-like figure carved into the surface

Pendant

Arc Pendant with Human-like Figure

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, plaque in the shape of a rabbit, shang and zhou dynasties, 2.5 cm high.

Pendant

Plaque in the shape of a rabbit

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Glass armlet, shang and zhou dynasties, 1.3 cm wide.

Armlet

Aqua-Colored Glass Bracelet

Shang and Zhou DynastiesGlass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of an animal with fish tail, shang and zhou dynasties, 8.3 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of an animal with fish tail

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) and cinnabar comb, shang and zhou dynasties, 7.6 cm high.

Shu (comb)

Comb

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite) with traces of cinnabar

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bone hairpin, shang and zhou dynasties, 16 cm long.

Zan (hairpin)

Hairpin

Shang and Zhou DynastiesBone

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.3 cm long.

Pendant

Frog pendant

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 14 cm long.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a silk worm, shang and zhou dynasties, 4.8 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a silk worm

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) slit ring, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm across.

Jue (slit ring)

Slit Ring (Jue)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a coiling dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 4.4 cm across.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a coiling dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a crested dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 10.8 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a crested dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 2.2 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art