bi
- Museum number
- 2022,3034.244
- Description
-
Disc - bi of opaque variegated dark brown, russet and yellowish jade with some green inclusions polished to a soft gloss.
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 35 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
The heavy flat circular disc has a grooved indent on one side and a large chip on its circumference; grooved edges are discernible in places around the sides of the disc. There is a small central aperture the sides of which have been polished smooth. Neolithic.
-
Much larger than 391 [2014,AsiaLoan,1.63] this disc is among the largest known. It is well carved and of very high quality, as is testified by a slightly concave outer edge, a feature requiring additional work and therefore found only rarely. The central hole is pierced from both sides and is slightly convex. The main surfaces are smooth, but there is a large chip on the outer edge and an indent on one side. Most of the discs from Liangzhu tombs range in size from about 14 to 27 cms in diameter and indeed seem to have been made in a range of almost standard sizes, which did not include the present one. Discs of the present size are extremely rare. A disc in the V&A, London, is about the same size and it too has a concave groove around the outer edge. It is particularly remarkable for an incised emblem of a bird on its outer circumference. Large discs, like the very tall cong, 328 [2014,AsiaLoan,1.60], may have been made only for exceptional uses either in life or after death. See Rawson, 1995, p.134, cat. no.4:3.
- Location
- On display (G33b/dc23)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2002, BM, 'Chinese Jade'
Previous loan number: 2014,AsiaLoan.206
- Acquisition date
- 2022
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 2022,3034.244
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: 342 (Hotung database number)
