Sacrificial Vessel
Unknown Artist
Medium
Nephrite
Dimensions
H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm); W. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); L. 9 in. (22.9 cm)
Classification
Jade
Culture & Period
China · early Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902
Accession Number
02.18.346
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite sacrificial vessel, carved from nephrite jade, hails from China's early Ming dynasty (136–1644), a golden age of imperial refinement and artistic revival. Standing at 7½ inches high, 3¼ inches wide, and inches long, its compact yet imposing form was designed for ritual use, likely in ancestral worship or offerings to deities. Nephrite, prized for its toughness and luminous translucency, was a material of profound spiritual significance in ancient China, symbolizing purity, immortality, and heavenly power—perfect for sacred objects like this one. The vessel's surface bears intr...