Blade
Late Neolithic (3000BCE-2000BCE)
Medium
Jade
Dimensions
19.7 × 6.4 × 0.5 cm (7 3/4 × 2 1/2 × 3/16 in.)
Classification
jade
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
69005
Art Historical Context
This elegant jade blade, created during the Late Neolithic period between 3000 and 2000 BCE, exemplifies the remarkable skill of early Asian artisans. Crafted from a single piece of jade measuring just under eight inches, the slender form suggests a ceremonial or ritual object rather than a functional tool. In Neolithic societies across ancient China, jade held profound cultural value, often associated with purity, power, and connections to the spiritual world. Working jade required extraordinary patience, as artisans used abrasive sands and simple tools to grind and polish the exceptionally ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...