gems, jade, nephrite, China

This extensively illustrated exhibition catalogue presents more than 170 objects or groups of objects, principally jade carvings excavated from the cemetery of the Marquises of Jin in Shanxi, together with a small number of bronze and gold artifacts. The material is organized around two themes, “The Beauty of Jade” and “Jade in Ritual,” examining the varied colors, forms, carved lines, animal and human imagery, and technical refinement of Western Zhou jade. Ceremonial objects, personal ornaments, animal-shaped pendants, and elaborate composite assemblages demonstrate the role of jade in expressing rank, identity, moral ideals, and the ritual order established during the Western Zhou dynasty. High-resolution photographs, detailed descriptions, and precise drawings document objects previously published only incompletely or in scattered archaeological reports. The catalogue provides an important visual and archaeological record of the Jin cemetery jades and illustrates the culmination of several millennia of Chinese jade-working traditions.