高17.5cm,长32.5cm
本品人首蛇身,交缠而立,正反两侧各塑一男一女,上施彩绘依稀可见,制作精致,造型奇特。
双人首应分别为伏羲和女娲。史传记载,伏羲、女娲形貌均是“人面蛇身”或“龙身人首”。而在中国古代的神话中,人首面与蛇身的结合是很多神的形态,在《山海经》中出现的人首蛇身的描写多达十余处,如《大荒北经》载:“有神……人面蛇身而赤,是烛九阴,是谓烛龙。”《海外西经》曰:“轩辕之国……人面蛇身,尾交首上。”《海内西经》亦载:“窫窳者,蛇身人面,贰负臣所杀也。”
早在新石器时代末期的湖北天门石家河遗址,已经出现双人首共一蛇身形象的玉玦。到了汉代,受阴阳思想等的影响,人首蛇身的伏羲女娲形象开始在墓葬中盛行。自北齐时起,墓葬中开始随葬双人首共一蛇身俑,这种现象在唐代达到鼎盛,并沿用至两宋时期。
经牛津热释光鉴定检测确认年代,检测编号C120d47
Height: 17.5cm, Length: 32.5cm
The two heads may represent Nüwa and Fuxi holding hands. Both have their arms outstretched. The hair of each is depicted in a chignon typical of the dynasty.
Nüwa is the mother goddess of Chinese mythology, the sister and wife of Fuxi, the emperor-god. They were described as having snake-like tails. Many mythological Chinese deities have a human face and a snake-like body. For example, The Classic of Mountains and Seas contains more than descriptions of such deities.
Neolithic Jade carvings of double-headed snake-form figure were excavated in Shijiahe site. In Han Dynasty, influenced by yin and yang, snake-form Nüwa and Fuxi figures became popular in tomb ceramics. People started to put double-headed snake-form figures in tombs in Northern Qi Dynasty. The phenomenon reached its peak in Tang Dynasty, and continued to Song Dynasty.
Oxford TL test consistent with Tang Dynasty, sample C120d47