Adam's FINE ASIAN ART November 18 2024

252 The Liangzhu culture originated in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions around 4,000 years ago, with the “cong” being its most distinctive form. Originally, the cong served as a ritual object used in land worship ceremonies, but it later evolved into a jade ornament known as a “jade bit.” This piece is made of jade, with some areas af- fected by natural alteration. The object is cylindrical, with a circular hole running through the center from top to bottom, featuring an outer square and inner circle design typical of cong artifacts. Short projections extend from the top and bottom, while the outer surface is adorned with evenly spaced shallow reliefs of simplified human-like deity faces. The decoration is divided into three sections, each with two alternating convex and concave string patterns near the top. At the corners of the outer wall, raised carvings depict deity faces with large noses, though the eyes have been simplified and left uncarved. These deity face motifs represent the emblem of the Liangzhu culture, symbolizing profound primitive religious and social meaning. 222 A FINELY CARVED LIANGZHU JADE CONG 良渚文化玉琮 Neolithic Period, Liangzhu Culture The thin-walled cong of short cylindrical square section, the sides divided into three registers, each carved with a stylised mask formed by several horizontal striated bands above the incised round eyes and a short bar, the stone of greyish-green tone with beige inclusions and areas of calcifica- tion. The inner wall of the jade cong has an antique shop label “L. Michon/156, bd. Haussmann Paris/Chine ancien” affixed to it. H.10.4cm € 30,000 - 50,000