Bracelet
ca. 5000-1700 BCE
Classification
Jewelry and Ornament
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1917.387
Tags
About this artwork
Narrow ring with wide perforation and flat sides, possibly a bracelet; mottled yellow, orange, and reddish brown; proportions irregular; some areas of gray incipient disintegration. (Rim slightly chipped.)
Art Historical Context
This delicate bracelet, crafted from nephrite jade during China's Late Neolithic period (ca 5000–1700 BCE), offers a glimpse into one of humanity's earliest mastery of hardstone carving. Appearing as a narrow ring with flat sides and a wide central perforation, it features mottled hues of yellow, orange, reddish brown, with irregular proportions that speak to ancient handcrafting techniques. Subtle signs of age—gray incipient disintegration and a slightly chipped rim—enhance its authenticity, evoking the passage of millennia. In Neolithic China, jade like nephrite held profound cultural and r...
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...