A CHINESE HAN-STYLE JADE CHAN
A CHINESE HAN-STYLE JADE CHAN
Jade
China, style of the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD)
Chan were a symbol of the afterlife in China and especially during the Han dynasty it was custom to lay jade cicadas into the mouths of the dead; these had a much flatter shape than this piece, however. This quite round cicada is finely crafted in a haptic manner, with a ribbed body, large eyes and has a cord hole for suspension. The underside has one longitudinal groove. The jade has a green-brown color and any white-grey areas due to mineralogical weathering.
Dimensions: LENGTH 6.5 CM
Condition: Good complete condition, calcified
Provenance: Galerie Zacke archive