A mottled jade cong, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture | 新石器時代良渚文化 玉琮

The Liangzhu culture in the Yangtze River Delta, which flourished from the late 4th to the end of the 3rd millennium BC, was one of the most prominent Neolithic Chinese civilizations. Among the large variety of Liangzhu artefacts, cong – tubular jades usually of square section with a central perforation drilled from both ends – stand out as iconic of this culture. This tapering squared cylinder, perforated from top to bottom, is divided into nine evenly distributed tiers, each with its four corners decorated with stylised masks. Jade cong that are over twenty centimetres tall, such as the present lot, are rare. They would have undoubtedly been extremely costly to make and must have been as remarkable in ancient times as they are today, worthy only of individuals of the highest status in the community.