ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS 

Artifacts, Antiques, & Fine Collectibles

Neolithic Chinese Celadon Jade 7.3” Hair Ornament

To Secure Long Hair in a Bun on Men & Women

With 80+ Translated Pictographs of Ritual Sacrifices

c. Hongshan Culture

4500 BCE—2250 BCE

 

“In the Presence of our Ancestors, We the Sons and Grandsons Offer Our Prayers and Many Animals  Sacrifices to Ensure Safe Passage for Our Father as He Journeys to Eternal Life in Heaven (Tian)to Live Forever with His Many Ancestors.”

~Expanded Translation by W.D. Houghton

 

NOTE:  William D. Houghton, the President of ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, a State of Washington Licensed Business, assumes all responsibility for the information contained in this description and for the English translation and transcription of the ancient Chinese graphic characters.  Furthermore, I prohibit the further dissemination of this information in any written, video, or electronic format without my expressed, written approval.  Thank You!

SUMMARY

 

In ancient China, this extra-large, jade hair ornament would have been the height of fashion and extravagance for the wealthy upper-class or royal man or woman that it was made for over 5,000-years-ago.  Their hair would have been gathered together or made into a bun and then passed through the center hole of this jade ornament and held in place at the bottom with a straight jade pin that would have been at least 4” long. 

 

 

As the size of this type of jade ornament related to the social ranking of the person, this massive 7.3” (186mm) tall jade hair ornament must have been made for a person of the highest social class, likely a royal personage.  This is one of the largest hair ornaments of this type ever discovered! 

 

 

Here are the approximate measures of this Extremely RARE jade treasure:

 

·       Material:  Translucent Celadon Green, Nephrite Jade

·       Height:  7.31” (186mm)

·       Weight:  1.48 lb. (670 gr.)

·       Diameter: 3.00” (76mm)

·       Inside Diameter:  .58” (15mm)

·       Thickness:  .23” (5.83mm)

 

Condition:  This translucent, jade hair ornament is in museum-quality condition, with no chips, repairs, or restorations.  The thin, celadon-green surface of the jade is almost completely coated with white mineral deposits (likely calcium) and small amounts of red iron from the soil in which it was buried. 

 

 

When this jade hair ornament was professionally cleaned in China to remove some of the excessive earthen and calcium deposits, it exposed some 80+ ancient characters that were cut, incised, and pecked into the jade. 

 

 

The ancient characters are not in columns or rows, but rather are shown on both sides of the pendant.  The characters are exceedingly small—some just 1-2mm tall!  The pictographic symbols were only meant for the eyes of the Ancestors, as human eyes were not worthy to read them. 

 

 

Note:  This rare and fragile jade hair ornament is for Display Only and should not be used as a modern hair ornament. Thank You…

 

NOTE:  These items offered for sale by Ancient Civilizations were legally imported to the United States and are legal to sell and own under U.S. Statute Title 19, Chapter 14, Code 2611, Convention on Cultural Property.

 

 

Details

 

Sometimes called a “jade horse’s hoof” in modern China, this RARE jade artifact is actually a large, Neolithic hair ornament with two holes drilled directly opposite of each other that would have allowed a jade hair pin to secure this massive jade ornament on the wearer’s head.  His or her hair would have passed through the ornament and then made into “bun” on the outside of this regal jade ornament on the wearer’s head. 

 

It is definitely a Neolithic hair ornament, and a few examples can be found in the world’s finest museums, including the MET and the British Museum.  Remarkable craftsmanship was used to create this large jade decoration.  It is also amazing that it has survived over 5,000 years!

 

 

As the size of these incredible jade ornaments related to the social ranking of the person, this massive jade hair ornament must have been made for a person of the highest social class, likely a royal personage.

 

 

I’ve tried to capture the beauty of this extraordinary jade hair ornament with some strong backlighting so you can see the translucent, celadon green jade.

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CHARACTERS

 

 

NOTE:  William D. Houghton, the President of ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, a State of Washington Licensed Business, assumes all responsibility for the information contained in this description and for the English translation and transcription of the ancient Chinese graphic characters.  Any translation errors are unintentional and strictly mine.

 

 

When this jade hair ornament was professionally cleaned in China to remove some of the excessive earthen and calcium deposits, it exposed some 80+ ancient characters that were painted and incised into the jade. 

 

 

The ancient characters are not in columns or rows, but rather are shown on all sides of the large jade hair ornament.  The characters are exceedingly small—some just 1-2mm tall!  The pictographic symbols were only meant for the eyes of the Ancestors, as human eyes were not worthy to read them. 

 

 

Here is my best expanded, English translation of some of the estimated 80+ characters/graphics:

 

 

·       An Ancestor diving down from Heaven (Tian) to accept the offerings presented by the Sons and Grandsons on behalf of their father/grandfather.

·       In photo # 9, this image shows at least five graphics of Sons and Grandsons holding flint knives that they have used to sacrifice animals during this ritual.  I’ve placed RED circles around those holding flint knives.  Some images contain graphics next to them of the animals they have killed, while others just show the men with their knives/axes—this was the common practice back in the Shang Dynasty.

·       A sitting Tiger or Tomb Guardian Beast that could ward-off or kill any Evil Spirits that could prevent the soul of the departed from reaching Heaven (Tian). {See photo # 6.}

·       Another Son with a curved knife and perhaps a daughter holding a Book of Generations that would have documented the exploits or victories in battle that the deceased Ancestors had accomplished.  {See photo # 8.}

·       In 10x macro photo # 7, you will see that I’ve added a white arrows that points to the image of a Son holding a curved, flint knife above his head in his hand, as he boldly stands above the animals (shown with BLUE circles around them) as they sacrifice several animals for the Ancestors.  Again, the number of animals sacrificed was in proportion to the social ranking of the person.

 

Again, the Son is less than 1mm or .04” tall and he is holding his curved flint knife that is maybe only .2mm or just .008”!!  As a reference point, two sheets of paper measure about .2mm thick!! 

 

These are just extraordinary tiny images that are some of the smallest I have ever seen inscribed on Chinese Neolithic jade ritual tomb or temple artifacts.

 

·       There are about 75+ additional graphic characters on both sides of the amulet that document the sacrificial offerings that were made on this day by the Sons and Grandsons.  As such rituals always contained sacrifices of wine, jade, money (in the form of cowrie shells), and bronze items, these items are also shown in pictographs on the jade amulet.

 

 

Here is as an expanded translation of the ancient characters:

 

 

“In the Presence of our Ancestors, We the Sons and Grandsons Offer Our Prayers and Many Animals  Sacrifices to Ensure Safe Passage for Our Father as He Journeys to Eternal Life in Heaven (Tian) to Live Forever with His Many Ancestors.”

 

NOTE:  Congratulations!  You are among the first people in the world in over 5,000 years to read the translation of the pictographic characters on the fabulous jade hair ornament!  This piece has never been exhibited, transcribed, or translated before it came into my possession. 

 

 NOTE:  This is a stunning, historical masterpiece of Neolithic Chinese jade carving and worthy of the finest museum or personal collections.  We prefer that this rare and extremely expensive artifact be a “pick-up only” item, and suggest that the new buyer make arrangements for pick up and/or shipping at their own liability and expense.