Ancient Chinese Jade Trapizodial Axe Blade (Ge) w/ Characters & Translation!

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Ancient Chinese Jade Trapezoid PlaqueCeremonial Blade ( Ge )English Translation of Inscription"My Soul Speaks to Make Myself Known{to My Ancestors in Heaven (Ti'en)}"Shang Dynastyc. 1700--1027 BCA gentleman always carried a jade pendant, as a symbol of class and to remind him the virtues of a gentleman, since those virtues were found in jade .--ConfuciusNOTE: Please note that there are hundreds of modern reproduction axes 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.Name: Jade Plaque Speaks to the Spirit AncestorsMaterial: Nephrite Jade (abraded), trapezoidal shapeApproximate Measurements:· Size: 2.00" (51 mm) long x 4.43 (113 mm) wide x .23" (6 mm) thick· Weight: 2.8 oz. (88 gr.)Est. Age: Neolithic Shang Culture (2250 BC--1000 BC)Condition: Museum quality! In "as found" condition with pitting and mineral deposits on period correct abraded jade surface.Based upon the style and in comparison with known museum examples, this jade plaque dates to Neolithic China, which is approximately 2250 BC--1000 BC. Chinese experts estimate that it was made during the Neolithic Culture of ancient China about 4,000 years-ago!I Guarantee it to be authentic and original! It will appraise as such by any ancient Chinese expert collector or museum!It has been professional cleaned to reveal the stunning beauty of the jade and remains in good, museum-quality condition with no breaks, repairs, or restorations. The jade does show heavy pitting and differential weathering that is consistent with being buried for over 4000 years.###########################################################################Provenance/History:This small, jade plaque was reportedly part of the same tomb/temple offerings as several, much larger jade axes/plaques that are listed separately on my eBay store. These jade objects have been in a private collection in China and then Hong Kong. Undocumented reports suggest they were discovered by farmers in Inner Mongolia and have been in private collections.This ancient Chinese blade (in Chinese Ge ) is made of nephrite jade and is dates approximately to the Shang Dynasty over 3,000 years-ago!It has two larger characters on the right side of the blade and several, much smaller characters abraded in very low relief on both sides of the blade.There is a single suspension hole drilled through the jade axe. This hole is classified by experts as "cone-shaped hole" and is period correct in every way. Under magnification, one can see it was made with a stone drill driven by hand at slow speed.In ancient China, jade objects were thought to be able to assist the souls of deceased on their journey to eternal life in Heaven (in Chinese Ti'en ).The ancient Chinese considered jade the most precious of all materials, prizing it more than gold, silver or bronze. Sophisticated jade and lapidary production techniques had already been mastered by the Neolithic era, and the love of jade, which some anthropologists consider a defining characteristic of Chinese culture, has endured until the present day.Earliest jades came in the form of ritual implements (such as axes ( yue ), bi discs, blades ( ge ) and cong tubes), articles of personal adornment, small carvings, and various types of blades. The latter were used as weapons in Neolithic times because jade is a very hard stone, but small blades like this one served more as badges of office and emblems of rank.Zhou Rites , a book that records the sacrificial activities of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, says, " Jade is used to make six ritual objects (bi, cong, gui, zhang, huang, and hu) to be offer... read more

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