Ancient Jade Artifacts: Chronology and Identification
The dating and identification of ancient jade articles could be started from the following aspects: ** 1. Craftsmanship Traces ** 1. ** Tool Traces ** - There were obvious differences between the ancient manual and semi-automatic weight machine technology and the modern electric weight machine technology. For jade from the Neoliths to the Qing Dynasty, the polishing marks could be observed with a magnifying glass of 10 - 50 times. Manual weights had been invented in the late Neoliths, which were polished with jade sand, animal skin wheel weights, cotton or linen wheel weights, etc. In modern times, the mechanical hole wall of jade processed with electric weights was relatively regular, leaving fine and even spiral patterns and not smooth enough. There may be slag at the edge of the hole. - Most of the holes in the Neoliths were trumpet shaped, and the long holes were mostly made by drilling in pairs. The holes were medium-thin and large at both ends. Spiral patterns of different thickness could be seen on the hole walls, and the surface was smooth. After the invention of ironware in the Warring States Period, the holes were more regular, but the spiral patterns on the hole wall were not as fine and equal as the mechanical hole wall, and the edges of the holes and lines appeared to be slag. 2. ** Polishing marks ** - Jade articles polished during the Neoliths and the Shang and Zhou Dynasties could be observed with a magnifying glass of 10 or 20 times. Fine concave lines of uneven thickness and different directions could be observed. Occasionally, there would be messy fine concave lines and a sense of layering. It was different from the fine, equal, and relatively parallel fine concave lines polished by mechanical polishing or imitating the ancient method. Most of the high-quality jades were flat, even and clean. The dent marks of the vertical weight could be found on the electric weight tools. ** 2. Oxidation Identification ** 1. ** Range of application and tools ** - It is suitable for ancient jade unearthed from the Neoliths to the Qing Dynasty. You can use a magnifying glass of 10 - 50 times and a strong flashlight to identify it by observing the surface of the plane under the light. 2. ** Oxidation and its characteristics ** - There were two kinds of situations where the oxygen was either corroded into chicken bones or seriously vaporized into powder. From a mineral point of view, the density of the jade was different and mixed with other substances. Under the long-term chemical effect, the weak parts of the texture, especially the surface, would be corroded to form small holes, or the surface would be corroded to form white spots. The degree of severity was different, and there was a sense of layering and depth. The weak parts of jade are usually heavily oxided. The surface of the burnt fake jade was a thin layer of powder. There was no depth or layering. Under the strong light, the jade was pure and transparent. The thickness of the rust was very thin and the depth of each part was the same. The natural rust depth was light and heavy. Usually, the sharp corners and edges were heavier, and the light of the heavy rust could not shine through. However, it should be noted that some forgers used natural jade materials to make artifacts. It was necessary to see whether the corrosion was universal from the traces of processing. ** 3. Corrosion Appraisal ** 1. ** Range of application and tools ** - It was suitable for corroded ancient jade. Use a 10 - 50x magnifying glass and a strong flashlight to observe the characteristics. 2. ** Corrosion characteristic ** - There were usually erosive holes and plaque. Some of the erosive holes had a large abdomen, and under a magnifying glass, the bright crystals formed by chemical changes in the holes could be observed. This was a feature that was difficult to forge at present. The surface of jade artifacts that were forged by acid corrosion usually had a large area of uneven corrosion, with obvious corrosion holes and spots. The corrosion holes were often large on the outside and small on the inside. There were no crystals and they were mottled. ** 4. Judging from the material of the jade ware ** 1. ** Jade characteristics of different dynasties ** - During the Hongshan culture period, most of the jade articles were mainly Xiuyan jade. After the Shang Dynasty, the jade materials used in ancient jade articles were mostly Hetian jade (Hetian jade in a narrow sense, produced in Xinjiang). However, in ancient times, a considerable part of the jade materials belonged to "local jade" such as Xiuyan jade, Nanyang jade, Lantian jade, etc. During the Han Dynasty, most of the jades were made of Hetian jade. Different broad sense Hetian jade (such as Russian jade, Qinghai jade, Korean jade, Canada jade, etc.) began to be mined and used in the 1980s and 1990s. If the raw material of the jade was these broad sense Hetian jade, it could be judged that it was not an antique. 2. ** The principle of good materials and good work ** - Most of the exquisite ancient jade was made of Hetian jade in Xinjiang because of its outstanding quality and rarity. ** 5. Judging from the appearance ** - Ancient jade articles of different historical periods had different shapes and characteristics, such as the jade cong of Liangzhu culture, the jade wall of the Warring States period, the jade flying characters of the Tang Dynasty, the jade belt hook of the Song Dynasty, the Zigang plate of the Ming Dynasty, and the jade mountain of the Qing Dynasty. Read more exciting novels for free
Identification of Jiangxi Jade Artifacts
Jiangxi jade identification mainly has the following aspects: - ** Appearance characteristics **: The color is generally green, white, yellow, etc. The texture is fine and the luster is soft. There were often natural patterns and impurities on the surface, which could be used as a basis for identifying authenticity. - ** Internal structure **: The internal structure is relatively compact and uniform. Under the microscope, there were many tiny grain-like structures. The finer the grain, the better the texture of the jade. - ** Hardness Test **: Hardness is an important indicator for identifying jade. The hardness of Jiangxi jade is relatively high, generally between 6 - 7. It could be tested by scratching against glass, steel knives, and other items. If the jade could leave scratches on these items, it might be jade. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
The Identification Method of Jade Artifacts of Ming Dynasty in Henan Province
The following are some methods to identify jade articles of the Ming Dynasty in Henan: ** 1. Material ** 1. ** Quality Identification ** - One had to observe the texture of the jade. Although jade generally had a hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale, different jade materials had their own characteristics. The real Ming Dynasty jade had its natural characteristics, while the fake might have differences in the texture and luster. - For example, if the Ming Dynasty jade pendant was authentic, it might be made of "milky white" or "glutinous ice white" jade. If it was fake, it was usually made of mineral materials. 2. ** Color identification ** - The color of the jade in the Ming Dynasty was due to the long-term burial of the jade in the closed tomb or soil. Due to the influence of the soil, ground temperature, ground humidity, and the materials in the pit, the jade itself had a qualitative change in its molecules, the structural water was lost, the pores became larger, and various colored impurities in the soil invaded the jade. - Observing under a magnifying glass, the translucent parts would be mixed with dark dots or silk-like, distributed naturally. The color of the real thing was formed naturally, while the color of the fake was often unnatural. - For example, the theory of weathering mentioned that the whiteness of Ming Dynasty jade articles was mainly due to the loosening of the mineral structure after being eroded. The formation of different colors was related to the local soil and other environmental factors. The soil and other environmental factors in Henan would affect the formation characteristics of the jade color of the Ming Dynasty. The genuine color should conform to the local environmental characteristics. 3. ** Appearance identification ** - The dipping method could be used to identify the jade. Put the jade into water or dip it in water. When you rub it with water, you will feel a sticky feeling. It will be like this every time until it is completely played. When soaked in water, a layer of sticky substance would be released from the jade surface, which was the so-called pulp. If there was no such phenomenon or if the phenomenon was not obvious and unnatural, it might be a counterfeit. ** 2. Styling and decoration ** 1. ** Appearance identification ** - The jade articles excavated by scientific archaeology should be used as the basis for the identification and identification, and combined with the ancient literature records and the jade articles handed down from generation to generation, the law of the development of the model of typical works should be analyzed. The jade articles of the Ming Dynasty in Henan should conform to the overall style of the time. If the style was completely inconsistent with the style of the Ming Dynasty, it might be a counterfeit. 2. ** Pattern identification ** - Although the patterns on Ming Dynasty jade ware were not complicated and could be easily copied, one could not think that a Ming Dynasty jade ware with a large number of the same patterns was a counterfeit. At the same time, he also had to consider the possibility that unknown new jade ornaments from the Ming Dynasty might be unearthed. However, if the decorative style was very different from the typical decorative patterns of the Ming Dynasty, or if the carving process of the decorative patterns was rough and unnatural, such as the lines were not smooth, it might be a fake. ** 3. Processing technology ** 1. ** Tool Marks Identification ** - From the stone processing tools that were mainly ground before the Xia Dynasty, to the copper processing tools that appeared in the early Shang Dynasty, to the iron processing tools that appeared in the late Spring and Autumn Period, the marks left on the surface of the Ming Dynasty jade ware were different due to the different processing tools in each period. Since the reversing machine determined that each trace had a certain regularity, it was necessary to master this regularity to identify it. For example, the processing traces on the authentic Ming Dynasty jade ware should conform to the characteristics of the craftsmanship at that time, while the counterfeit may have irregular processing traces or not conform to the craftsmanship at that time. 2. ** Corrosion Appraisal (For unearthed Ming Dynasty jade artifacts)** - You can use a magnifying glass of 10 - 50 times and a powerful flashlight to observe the characteristics of the corroded Ming Dynasty jade. However, this method had its limitations. It was not suitable for Ming Dynasty jade articles (handed down from generation to generation) that did not corrode. If it was a Ming Dynasty jade artifact unearthed in Henan and there was corrosion, this method could be used to identify its authenticity. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Ancient Jade Pattern Identification
Jade ornaments of different historical periods had their own characteristics, which could be used to identify them: ** 1. Neoliths ** - Most of the jades were plain and had no patterns. Even if there were, they were very simple, with inky lines, dragon patterns, fish patterns, and animal patterns. The style was simple and unadorned. ** 2. Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties ** 1. ** Xia Dynasty ** - The carving was simple, it was a Yin line carving. 2. ** Shang Dynasty ** - The patterns were mainly cloud patterns, string patterns, dragon and phoenix patterns, among which cloud patterns were the most basic. The carving technique developed into double Yin lines, forming a Yang line between the two Yin lines. There were also unique ridge tooth patterns and dish patterns. The ridge tooth patterns were no longer used in later generations, and the dish patterns were unique to the Shang Dynasty. 3. ** Zhou Dynasty ** - One side of the decorative carving was a Yin line, and the other side was a slope line. The Yang character formed between the two had a slanted feeling, and there was a change of light and shadow. ** 3. The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period ** - Cloud patterns, valley patterns, nail patterns, and taotie patterns were more common. The dragon and phoenix patterns were very unique. Most of them were back-to-back in an "S" shape. The patterns on the jade wall were carved densely, using techniques such as carving, embossed, and line carving. The inner and outer circles protruded the outline, and the lines were twisted and psychedelic. The grain pattern was a row of dense small dices in the shape of a vortex. The dices pattern was commonly seen on jade. The pattern was in the shape of a raised papillary-shaped round dices, which were either vertically and horizontally or arranged with the body. The circle pattern was popular. It was a small circle arranged in rows. There were single circles, concentric circles, and small dots in the circle. ** IV. Han Dynasty ** - In addition to the geometric patterns (such as vortex pattern, valley pattern, cattail pattern, hole nail pattern, etc.), the elephant pattern dragon pattern, animal pattern, bird pattern, etc. were more complicated. There were also some simple and freehand decorations, such as Han Yu Chan and Yu Weng Zhong Ren, which reflected the style of "Han Eight Blades". ** V. Tang Dynasty ** - Plant patterns increased, such as lotus petal patterns, sunflower patterns, peony patterns, lily patterns, etc. The realism of the decorative patterns was mostly expressed by a large number of fine Yin lines. When depicting bird feathers, the fine semi-circular scale patterns or square patterns were used to express its lightness and delicacy. The lines were soft and smooth, soft and firm. ** 6. Song and Yuan Dynasties ** - The patterns were rich and colorful, mostly dragon and phoenix auspicious patterns. In addition, there were ancient dragon patterns, inscriptions, breast patterns, phoenix, peony and other patterns. ** 7. Ming and Qing Dynasties ** 1. ** Ming Dynasty ** - There were mainly patterns of pine, bamboo, plum, cloud, cloud, dragon, flowers, mountains, rivers, people, and so on. Engraving also began to appear on the jade. 2. ** Qing Dynasty ** - In addition to the ancient decorative patterns, new decorative patterns such as flowers, birds, and wormgrass were added. Imperial poems and various inscriptions also appeared on the jade articles. In addition, understanding the time of the "birth" of the decorative patterns could help determine the "birth" of the jade ware. If the decorative patterns of the previous dynasty appeared on the shape of the previous dynasty, it was likely to be a pseudo-ancient ware. For example, the web-like pattern in the Hongshan culture appeared in the form of auxiliary patterns in later generations; the unique animal face pattern of Liangzhu jade articles did not appear in later generations; the silk pattern was used for a long time and was still used on bracelets until the Qing Dynasty; the string pattern appeared in the Hongshan culture, but it was more common in hoop-shaped and wall-shaped articles in the Shang Dynasty, but rarely seen in later generations; the cloud pattern first appeared in the Shang Dynasty and was popular in the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, and the Western Han Dynasty. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Artifacts identification jar
Cultural relic identification of terrines was the work of using traditional methods or modern science and technology to analyze and identify the authenticity, texture, use, and value of terrines. From the perspective of the shape of the terrines, for example, the terrines of different dynasties had different characteristics. The terrines of the Sui and Tang Dynasties might have simple shapes, while the terrines of the Western Jin Dynasty might have their own styles such as the pot. From the aspect of the soil, one had to check its texture, color, and other characteristics. Some earthen pots were affected by the natural environment of the underground moisture, and the color formed would invade the fetal bone, and the surface corrosion and peeling would form a thick ooze. These were all helpful in determining the authenticity of the pot. Judging from the surface of the soil, the earthen jars of different dynasties and regions had different characteristics. To judge the value, one must first look at the age and patterns. Plain clay pots were generally more valuable before the Qin and Han Dynasties. The patterns with dragon patterns, taotie patterns, god patterns, chariot patterns, banquet music, animal faces, and other patterns were of higher grade and value. The value of cloth patterns, rope patterns, mat patterns, and regular geometric patterns was lower. At the same time, the size and integrity of the pot, as well as the thickness of the pottery, also affected the price. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Ancient Jade Artifacts
There were many types of ancient jade articles, which could be divided into ritual vessels, accessories, containers, musical instruments, funeral articles, etc. In terms of ritual vessels, there were jade Bi used to sacrifice to heaven, jade Cong used to sacrifice to the earth, Gui, Zhang, Hu, Huang used to sacrifice to the four directions, Gui used by emperors and vassals for court betrothal gifts, sacrifices, funerals, Mao held by emperors, Cong used to sacrifice to the four directions of heaven and earth, etc. The accessories included all kinds of jade jewelry (such as hair ornaments, earrings, finger ornaments, wrist ornaments, arm ornaments, string ornaments, etc.), jade pendants, jade belt hooks, jade belt plates, rings (as ornaments to show identity), jade ornaments (knots on ancient hats), jade hairpins (jade hairpins, ancient women's jewelry), jade hairpins (long needles used by men to tie up their hair or crowns), Zigang cards, etc. The containers included Jue for drinking wine, Bi for warming wine, Zan for offering sacrifices like a spoon, jade nuptial cups used by young couples in ancient times for marriage and drinking, and jade pots. The musical instruments included jade pipes (wind instruments), jade chimes (percussion instruments), and jade zither poles (jade zither pillars). Funeral supplies include jade clothes. There were also jade items such as the dragon used to pray for rain, the jade used to decorate the end of the scabbard, the jade used to swear blood vows in ancient times, all kinds of insect-type jade articles such as jade insects (cicadas), jade bracelets for health preservation, jade ornaments for exorcism, and ancient wine vessels and jade cups. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Making Jade Artifacts with Ancient Methods
There were the following steps to making jade in the ancient method: 1. ** Sand pounding and grinding **: The stone sand was crushed with a pestle and mortar, then sieved. The stone sand was classified according to its size, and then the mud in the sand was rinsed with water. The clean sand sieved out could be used to grind jade articles later. The coarse particles were used for cutting, and the fine particles were used for carving. 2. If it was an emerald raw material, the outer shell would be wrapped with a rough stone, and this part of the stone would need to be cut off. In ancient times, two people would use a wooden frame to set up a jade, each holding one end of a steel bar, and carry out a saw-saw-like friction cutting. At the same time, a kettle with a hole in the bottom of the kettle would be hung on the jade, and the water would drip onto the jade, increasing the sharpness of the steel bar to cut off the stones on the surface. If it was the raw material of Hetian Jasper, the surface was covered with stone skin. When opening the jade, a teapot filled with black stone sand and water was hung on it. There was a hole in the bottom of the teapot, and the water mixed with black stone sand dripped onto the jade. Then, a steel wire saw was used to rub and cut back and forth to remove the stone skin. 3. ** Cutting into blocks or strips **: Use a sharp circular steel plate and hard red sand soaked in water to cut the jade material into blocks or strips. You can also use a cutting machine to change the corresponding tools according to different uses. After the preliminary design and drawing, the worker will use the cutting machine to cut off the excess jade material. 4. ** Punching (Grinding Edge)**: A punching tool made of a steel ring that is 45 to 20 centimeters thick and soaked in red sand will grind the edges and corners of the block or strip jade material to roughly shape the jade. Its working principle is similar to that of a pricking tool, but the pricking tool is changed. 5. Grind (Grind the surface): Grind the surface of the jade with a 20 - 30% thick steel plate to show a warm and soft luster. 6. "Dig out the hall (hollow the inside): When making a jade with an empty hall, first screw the steel drum into the center of the jade, so that a cylinder (jade pole) appears in the center of the jade. Then take out the jade pole and hollow out the inside of the jade. 7. "Embellishment (carving patterns)": Use a small round steel plate with sharp edges to polish the surface of the jade to create patterns. You can also use a small tool ("Ding Zi") to carve. Different types of tools will leave different patterns on the surface of the jade. 8. ** Drill (drilling)**: When making jade with hollow patterns, first use a diamond to drill through the small hole, then use a bow saw to rotate the fine stone sand back and forth to drill a round hole out of the jade. 9. [Penetrating Flower (Cutting According to Patterns)]: After drilling, use the steel wire string of the bow to pass through the small holes on the jade piece, and then cut it according to the pattern drawn with the fine stone sand soaked in water. 10. ** Hole drilling (punching small jade ware)**: When making snuff bottles, thumb rings, and other small jade ware, pull the "taut bow" back and forth to drive the "iron cup"(the lower end is embedded with a diamond) to rotate, and use the diamond to punch holes in the jade ware. 11. ** Wood (Polishing)**: Large jade articles are polished with a wooden mortar and soaked in yellow sand or various colored mortar. Small jade articles are polished with a small mortar made of dry calabash pieces. 12. ** Leather Pendant (Polishing)**: A leather pendant made of cowhide is used to polish the jade, making the jade appear bright and warm. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Ancient Jade Artifacts of Tang Dynasty
Jade identification method
Strange Jade Identification
Jade identification was the process of studying the age, authenticity, and artistic level of the jade. The following are some common jade identification methods: 1. ** Color distinction **: The color of natural jade is natural and evenly distributed. However, it was necessary to be wary of some illegal merchants who would use dyeing and other means to pass off the inferior ones as good ones. They could use the spectrum to detect the spectral characteristics of the color, and at the same time, observe the degree of color distribution under natural light. The color of natural jade was too natural, and the color of dyed jade might be piled up or too uniform. 2. [Touch: Due to the different density of the jade, the touch will be different.] For example, Hetian jade was denser and heavier than ordinary jade. 3. ** Light observation **: For example, when the light shines on the Hetian jade, you can see the evenly distributed fiber interwoven texture. 4. [Distinguish by sound: The sound of natural jade is crisp, but the sound of artificial processing is muffled.] For example, the sound of the real jade was clear and loud, while the fake jade sounded low. 5. [Water Droplet Identification Method: When a drop of water is dropped on a piece of jade, it will turn into a dewdrop and not disperse for a long time. It may be a real piece of jade. If the drop of water disappears quickly, it may be a fake.] 6. [Tongue Licking Method: When the tip of the tongue licks real jade, it will feel astringent, but fake jade will not feel astringent.] 7. ** Magnifying Glass Observation **: Use a magnifying glass to see if there are any cracks. Those without cracks are high-quality jade, and those with cracks are second-class. The more cracks there are, the lower the value. In addition, from the perspective of historical aesthetics, it could also assist in the judgment. If an ancient jade was very much in line with contemporary aesthetics, then it might be necessary to pay more attention to its authenticity. During the identification, professional instruments could also be used, such as a high-power magnifying glass to see the fine structure of the jade, and a refraction instrument to measure the refraction index of the jade to provide reliable data support for the identification. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Ancient China Jade Artifacts of the Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty was a unified multi-ethnic country with a complete patriarch system. Jade articles became the treasures monopolized by the emperors, and there were a variety of them. In addition to religious objects, there were also tools, daily necessities, accessories, and jade ornaments. Among them, ritual vessels and jade carvings of figures were the most precious. For example, jade Zhang, jade Cong, jade Bi, etc., the value of figure carvings was even higher. The value of round carvings of animals and containers was second only to that of jade carvings of people. They were worth collecting. This was because the round carvings of people and animals were difficult to craft and had realistic artistic characteristics. They could reflect the social appearance of the time and had high artistic, economic, and scientific value. In addition, there were many types of tools and weapons in the Shang Dynasty. The production level was divided into high and low. The ceremonial utensils or weapons were exquisite and beautiful, which was also worth collecting. Jade articles in the early part of the Shang Dynasty were represented by the relics unearthed from Erlitou site and tombs in Yanshi, Henan Province. There were many kinds of jade articles such as jade Gui and jade Cong. Some of the new articles might be used for etiquette. The production of large-scale thin articles showed the progress of jade technology at that time. In the later part of the Shang Dynasty, the Erligang site in Zhengzhou was represented. Jade articles such as jade Zhang and jade Ge were also unearthed from other Shang Dynasty sites and tombs. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>