gems, jade, nephrite

Kostov examines prehistoric nephrite objects from Bulgaria and the wider Balkans dating from the seventh to fifth millennia BC, placing them within what he terms a Balkan “nephrite culture.” Nephrite artifacts, particularly axes, adzes, and objects interpreted as having ornamental or ritual functions, are documented from Neolithic and Chalcolithic sites, with Bulgaria yielding especially numerous examples. Mineralogical and archaeomineralogical investigations confirm nephrite for a number of artifacts and indicate more than one variety of the material, suggesting potentially different sources. The geological origin of much of the nephrite remains unresolved, however, and Kostov considers possible local and regional sources as well as the implications for prehistoric exchange and movement of raw materials. The early dates and concentration of nephrite objects demonstrate a significant and distinctive tradition of jade use in southeastern Europe long before the better-known later European occurrences.

gems, jade, fei cui, pyroxene jade, jadeite, standards

This publication presents the Chinese national terminology for jewelry and jade materials, establishing standardized names and naming principles for use in gem identification, testing, certification, and trade. It covers natural gemstones, natural jade materials, natural organic gem materials, synthetic and artificial products, composite stones, and imitations, and provides rules governing the terminology used for treated or otherwise modified materials. By defining acceptable names and restricting misleading or ambiguous terminology, the standard provides a consistent framework for laboratory reports, commercial descriptions, and consumer disclosure in China. It is particularly useful for understanding the official Chinese classification and nomenclature of jade and other gem materials and the distinctions drawn between natural, treated, synthetic, and imitation products.

gems, jade, China, archaic jade, nephrite, amphibole jade

This catalogue presents jade artifacts associated with the Jinsha archaeological site in Chengdu, Sichuan, an important center of the ancient Shu culture. It surveys the forms, materials, manufacture, and archaeological contexts of jade objects recovered at Jinsha, including ritual implements and ornaments, and considers their relationship to religious practices and elite society. Particular attention is given to the craftsmanship and distinctive forms of the Jinsha jades, while comparisons with material from other archaeological cultures illuminate cultural contacts and the transmission of jade-working traditions. Richly illustrated, the volume provides an important record of the role of jade in the material and ritual culture of the ancient Shu civilization and contributes to understanding the broader development of jade use in Bronze Age China.

gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, nephrite, China, Burma, Kazakhstan

The mineral chemistry composition and structural characteristics of jadeite from Burma, Kazakhstan, and Russia were studied by gemological methods, thin-section analysis, and electron probe analysis. The results on mineral chemical composition show that the contents of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Na₂O vary among samples: jadeite from Burma closely approaches the theoretical composition of pure jadeite, while samples from Kazakhstan and Russia deviate from this ideal. Burmese jadeite is characterized by the highest jadeite content and relatively lower amounts of albite and chromite. Jadeite from Kazakhstan contains a more balanced mixture of jadeite and omphacite, along with minor albite and chromite. Russian jadeite shows a chemical composition that transitions toward omphacite. Texturally, Burmese jadeite displays crystalloblastic texture along with partial metasomatic and dynamic metamorphic textures. The jadeite from Kazakhstan exhibits more complex textures, indicative of a strong geological overprint in a later phase. Russian jadeite shows crystalloblastic and partially crystalloblastic textures, reflecting a weaker degree of dynamic metamorphism. The jadeite deposits are multistage in nature: Burmese jadeite formed through two stages, omphacite in Kazakhstan formed through two stages, and Russian jadeite formed through three distinct stages. These metallogenic stages play a significant role in shaping the texture and structure of jadeite from each locality.

gems, jade, Chinese jade, nephrite, Chinese jade carving, archaic jade

gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, Guatemala, Mesoamerica, Aztecs, Mayans, Mexico

gems, jade, China, Chinese art, nephrite, yu, fei cui, Chinese jade carving, archaeology

This is a comprehensive two-volume set titled The Atlas of Ancient Chinese Jade, compiled by Chang Suxia and published by Jin Cheng Publishing House in 2013. This authoritative reference work is an updated edition of the 1999 original, organized chronologically to provide a systematic overview of jade production from the Neolithic period through to the Qing Dynasty. It focuses primarily on artifacts recovered from archaeological excavations and major museum collections, ensuring a high level of authenticity and academic rigor. The volumes contain over 3,000 detailed illustrations, including professional rubbings, technical drawings, and high-quality color photographs. Volume one covers Neolithic cultures (including Hongshan, Liangzhu, Longshan, and Qijia), the Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou dynasties, as well as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Volume two covers the Han, Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, through to the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. It also includes an extensive compilation of excavated materials and a detailed index. An indispensable resource for collectors, scholars, and appraisers of Chinese antiquities, this set provides clear visual markers for identifying the stylistic and functional characteristics of jade across five thousand years of history. Whether you are studying the ritual significance of early Neolithic jades or the intricate decorative craftsmanship of the later imperial dynasties, this work offers unparalleled depth and visual documentation for any serious library.

gems, jewelry, ancient jewelry, China, Eurasia, gold, jade

This catalogue is published in conjunction with the exhibition Radiant Legacy: Ancient Chinese Gold from the Mengdiexuan Collection jointly organized by the Art Museum and the Department of Fine Arts, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The catalogue features about 300 ancient Eurasian and Chinese gold artifacts dating from ca.1500 BCE to 1700 CE in three volumes, namely, Gold in the Eurasian Steppes, Gold in the High Plateau and Gold in China. Edited by Jenny F. So, the catalogue includes 6 introductory essays contributed by Lin Meicun, Pieter Meyers, Chen Ling, Huo Wei, Yang Zhishui and Elaine Kwok. All the artifacts are fully illustrated with colour plates and detailed entries. In addition are maps, timelines, chronologies and selected bibliographies. This is an indispensable catalogue for the study and appreciation of ancient Chinese gold ornaments.

gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs, archaeology, history, archaeogemology, China

Jade is a unique stone. Its exquisite range of colours, hardness and durability, transparency and delicate lustre, together with its acoustic qualities, led it to embody, in the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica and Asia, human and cultural values intrinsic to those societies. For a time considered more precious than gold or silver, it has throughout human history been attributed with mystical and magical powers, as well as curative properties. In China, for example, it was associated with longevity and even immortality, while in Europe it was regarded as an effective remedy for kidney ailments. Through an interdisciplinary and intercultural perspective, this publication brings together eleven studies on various aspects related to this material: geochemical and archaeometric analyses, experimental archaeology projects, and anthropological investigations that together provide a broad panorama of the sociocultural significance and the profound symbolic and ideological connotations that jade and other green stones have held in various regions of ancient Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, China, and Korea.

gems, jade, fei cui, pyroxene jade

This book is one of our Far East Classics" series. In the history of ancient Chinese literary theory criticism, the literary theory of the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties has a new and unique development. This is not only reflected in the increase of single literary papers, but also the expansion of content. At the same time, literary theoretical monographs such as Liu Xie's Literary Heart Carving Dragon and Zhong Rong's Poetry have emerged one after another. These brilliant achievements of literary theory in the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties show that it is an important stage in the history of Chinese literary theory criticism. The content of this book includes the essays in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Liu Xie's "Wenxin Diao Dragon o Preface" mentioned Cao Pi's "Dian Theory o Papers), Cao Zhi's "Book with Yang Dezu", Ying's "Wen Quality Theory", Lu Ji's "Wen Fu", Zhi Yu's "Article Flow Theory", Li Chong's "Hanlin Theory", and Liu Zhen, Lu Yun, Ying Zhen and others' discussion on literature."