Neolithic Chinese Jade Adze Amulet w/Sacrificed Beasts for Newborn w/Translation

Description

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Artifacts, Antiques, & Fine Collect
i
bles
Neolithic Chinese Jade Ritual Jade Adze
Sons and Grandsons Offering for Their Ancestors in Heaven (
Ti’en
)
Inscribed 75+ Pictographs Inscription/Dedication
with English Translation
c. Hongshan Culture
4500 BC to 2250 BC
“In the Presence of Our Ancestors, the Sons and Grandsons Offer to Our Ancestors These Gifts of Jade, Wine, and Raw Meat to Announce the Birth of a Son.
The Sons and Grandsons, Holding Flint Knives and Axes, have Sacrificed Several Beasts and Foul to the Ancestors and Offer the Raw Meat to the Ancestors—Several of Whom Have Dived, Headfirst from the Heavens (Ti’en) Towards the Hands of the Offering Descendants”
~English Translation Provided by ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
NOTE:
William 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
This Neolithic Chinese Ritual Jade Adze dates to approximately the Hongshan Culture (4500 BC—2250 BC).
That’s right, this wonderful ritual jade adze describes the sacrifices made by the sons and grandsons to their ancestors, and the high social status of its ancient Chinese owners.
The gifts also announce the birth of their son to the Ancestors.
This Immortal ritual Jade Adze is in Very Good to Excellent ancient condition for being over 5,000 years old.  The amulet is made from period correct, nephrite jade (“
Fu
” in Chinese) and measures approximately 3.33" (85 mm) long x
1.64” (42 mm) wide" x 1.00” (26 mm) thick.  It weighs 5.4oz. (153 gr.).
No repairs, or restorations.  Museum Quality patina and 75+ dedication characters/pictographs!  Please see photos as they are part of the description and the translation below of the pictographic characters on the amazing adze.  Photo # 6 has descriptive shapes that enclose the very tiny characters--see translation below for details.
DETAILS
In Neolithic China, this Jade Amulet would have been offered as a sacrifice and placed in the tomb or surface temple of the departed by his family, as an offering to the Gods and Ancestors to grant him wealth, immortality, and to protect him or her from evil spirits in this life and in the afterlife and to announce the birth of a son. This finely worked Jade Amulet would also show the spirits that he/she was a wealthy and powerful person--likely a king or a member of a royal family.
Jade was highly prized by these early civilizations in China and it was thought to have positive energy to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck and fortune to all who wore a piece on their person--in life and in death. Jade, which was more valuable than gold, was also believed to be a portal or messenger that could carry prayers to Heaven and send messages to those on Earth from departed ancestors and Gods in Heaven.
This ceremonial/ritual adze is based on the style of utilitarian stone adze of the period.
However, the precious value of jade (worth more than gold to this ancient culture), the engraved/pecked inscription, and the tendency of jade to fracture and chip when struck, all confirm that this jade adze functioned as a ritual object rather than just an everyday tool. The detailed inscription on all the surfaces of the adze served as a permanent record of the many sacrifices the descendants made on behalf of the father/grandfather and to announce the birth of a son.
Condition
The nephrite jade a
dze
has a dark-green color that is accented with beautiful russet markings from the natural iron particles embedded in the solid jade.
The entire adze head is in museum quality condition, but it had been previously cleaned in China.
It shows almost light pitting and differential weathering, and yet has a wonderful patina that only occurs on worked jade objects buried for thousands of years in the damp soil of China.
No repairs or reconstructions.
English Translation of Inscription/Dedication
This 5,000-year-old ritual jade adze head contains an estimated total of 75+ character inscription/dedication on both sides of the adze head and even more graphics on the edges.
The pictographic characters on this Neolithic ceremonial jade axe were written in one of the earliest forms of a written language in ancient China.
Modern archeologists call these early pictograms “Oracle or Graphic Script.”
This style of script has been found as a permanent record that was written millennia ago by Chinese scribes on both oracle bones of cattle and on ritual jade and bronze artifacts.  This small inscription makes this particular jade adze HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE!
This lovely jade amulet contains at least 75+ ancient, Chinese, pictographic characters that were carved/engraved/pecked in low relief and incorporated into the design of this amulet.
I have been able to read and translate several of the characters—some as small as .4 mm!  Any errors are the responsibility of the translator.
On the obverse side of the jade adze there are many characters—several of the larger ones are inside the orange area of the jade axe that has turned that fantastic shade of orange from the red iron in the damp soil that has been absorbed into the once green jade axe.
Here is a translation of some of the characters:
·
Several graphics of the Sons and Grandsons offering sacrifices to the Ancestors in Heaven (
Ti’en
).
·
Son killing a Beast with an axe and flint knife, and offering the raw meat to the Ancestors.
·
Son and Grandson killing another Beast and offering the raw meat to the Ancestors.
{See highlighted capsule in photo # 6 with the offering hand pictured at the bottom, followed by the Grandson beneath the legs of the Son who is holding the flint knife he used to kill the Beast.}
·
Grandson killing a Beast and Duck with a flint knife. (
See highlighted photo # 6 of characters inside the triangle.
The grandson is depicted sort of like a frog, with curved, rear legs.)
·
Offerings of Jade, Wine, and Raw Meat to the Ancestors.
·
Ancestors—several of whom are diving headfirst from the Heavens (Ti’en) towards the outstretched hands of the offering Sons and Grandsons.
·
Two parents announcing the birth of their Son to the Ancestors.
{See photo # 6 with highlighted rectangle.
The baby is depicted on the far left as a bird with a beak, while his two parents are shown standing directly above him.}
·
Offering Son is being spiritually transported beyond the temple into the sanctuary, unto the very presence of the departed Ancestor.
·
As noted above, the expanded translation of the dedication on this precious, jade amulet is as follows:
“In the Presence of Our Ancestors, the Sons and Grandsons Offer to Our Ancestors
These Gifts of Jade, Wine, and Raw Meat in Announce that the Birth of a Son.
The Sons and Grandsons Holding Flint Knives and Axes, Have Sacrificed Several Beasts and Foul to the Ancestors and Offer the Raw Meat to the Ancestors—Several of Whom Have Dived, Headfirst from the Heavens (Ti’en) Towards the Hands of the Offering Descendants”
All the accounts show that
these ritual amulets were
symbols of great power and authority and would only be given to those leaders with these attributes.
The jade adze was one of the most important symbols in an elite burial tomb. In one famous burial tomb that contained 330 burial offerings, there were 44 stone and 12 jade axes. Jade axes and amulets were usually placed on the right side of the upper body in the tomb.  This particular jade adze was most likely placed in a temple erected above ground, over top of the subterranean tomb.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
This wonderful Jade Amulet is shaped like an adze and was a common tool in ancient China, but these Jade adzes were for ritual use only and can be found buried with their owners in ancient tombs.  The edge of the adze is ground to an edge and would have been attached to a wooden handle and placed in the tomb.  Chinese and Western experts believe these ritual axes (or "
yu
" and "
fu
" in Chinese) denoted military and regal authority when placed in a tomb.
Archeologists believe this axe would have been fastened to wooden handles and used as a symbol of military authority.
This jade adze has a bold yet graceful style with a wonderful dark green coloring!  The jade surface shows the authentic signs of ancient ground contact discoloration from the original bright green jade to a reddish/orange--from the iron in the soil.  After thousands of years in damp soil, the iron in the soil leaches into the semi-porous jade and turns it orange or red.  This
Yue
Adze has stunning, highlight streaks of russet-orange coloring.
In the 5,000-year-old relics of Hongshan Culture, these adzes were made of precious jade for decoration purposes only. According to studies, the jade axe and adze are symbols of glory.
Research on jade
yue
and
fu
axes and adzes from Xipo, China, reveal just how these lovely amulets were made. The first step involved cutting the raw material into pieces with stone or bamboo saws and string saws soaked in a slurry of jade dust.
Then the pieces were ground and abraded to a proper shape, as jade does not flake like flint.
Finally, the jade was carefully polished and inspected before a scribe engraved and pecked the ancient characters into the hard jade.  It was then delivered and presented to its wealthy and powerful owners that would have sacrificed it to their Ancestors.
Early jade adzes such as this one a have a rather thick, solid body, while later Neolithic blades are thinner and more refined with square, edged sides.
The Chinese word for jade is
“yu”
and this jade ritual adze is made from ancient nephrite jade that has been beautifully crafted in a fantastic cultural masterpiece.
It easily dates to 5,000-years-old.  It is made of pure Nephrite jade and has a wonderful, authentic patina that is a rich, reddish-orange highlights from the iron in the soil that is was in contact with for 5,000 years!  It also is pitted from differential weathering, and has white calcification from the salts that have leached into the jade--all clear indicators of an authentic and original piece.
I have tested this jade and it tests as pure "nephrite
Yu
(Jade)" as the Chinese say.  I have examined this artifact under 10x magnification and have determined that there are no cracks, repairs, or damage of any kind.  The jade adze shows only evidence of heavy pitting and differential weathering--something that only happens when carved jade has been exposed to air and water for many thousands of years.  This is completely natural and is perhaps the best clue to look for in determining the age of jade.
I have carefully examined and authenticated this ritual Jade Adze as authentic and original!
It will appraise as such by any knowledgeable Chinese jade expert or museum.
NOTE:
Please note that there are hundreds of modern reproduction axes and adzes for sale on eBay from China and the USA, but nearly all are modern fakes, and some aren’t even jade.
So please insure that you are bidding on the real thing if that is what you want before you bid.
If you only want a reproduction piece for a few dollars that is just fine, just be sure you are getting the quality and authenticity you are paying for.
Please examine the macro photos taken indoors carefully, as they are part of the description.
The stand and the AA battery are not part of the auction, just included to give you a better perspective.
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