Archaic Jade Cong with Ram's Heads & Birds of Prey

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Archaic Jade Cong with Ram's Heads & Birds of Prey

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Sold Date: 03/03/2007
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Ethnic, Folk & Native American Art

This archaic jade carving is from the autonomous region of present day Inner Mongolia. It is a Hongshan Culture artifact that dates back to 3500 - 2200 BC. This is an authentic piece, not a reproduction. It is a rare find that will increase steadily in value.

This ancient cong (tsung) sports two skillfully carved ram's heads and two birds of prey. Archeological finds support the fact that the bird of prey was very important to early Chinese culture as a means for procurring fish and other game.

The cong is a ritual jade that represents the deity of earth. It represents the four cardinal directions and the five Chinese elements. It was also an early fertility piece. T is also much evidence to support the belief that the cong acted as a device for collecting, storing and directing the flow of chi, the universal force that pervades all things. As a funerary jade, congs were often placed upon the abdomen. In other instances, it was placed behind the head while a Bi was placed on the chest. The bi represents heaven, tfore the body rested between heaven and earth. This cong has quite a bit of surface erosion but is still very solid and in remarkable condition. It is 3 3/4 inches high by 4 1/4 by 3 1/4 inches.