A rare celadon jade bird-form hair ornament, Neolithic period, Shijiahe culture | 新時期時代 石家河文化 青玉鷹鳥紋笄

A Hong Kong private collection, assembled during the 1970-80s, by repute.

傳香港私人收藏，1970至80年代集成

Hair ornaments, such as the present lot, are believed to have been used to secure a Shamen’s hair and further served a ritualistic function in facilitating the Shamen’s dialogue with the heavens. Similar ornaments have been attributed to late Shijiahe culture, circa 2300 BC, a branch of the Yi clan who worshiped the birds. Compare a closely related example in the Taipei Palace Museum, illustrated in Art in Quest of Heaven and Truth- Chinese Jades through the Ages, Taipei, 2012, pl. 4-5-11.

此類耐鷹鳥紋玉笄在石家河遺址中類似器物出土，或為帶有動物崇拜圖像的實用功能玉器，為石家河巫師佩戴使用。通體碧綠，此錐形笄，斷面呈圓形，上端為有勾喙與冠羽的鷹類鳳鳥，雙翼交疊於後背。參看台北故宮博物院藏一例，見《敬天格物：中國歷代玉器》，台北，2012年，圖版4-5-11，無論是從選料，淺浮雕技法以及琢磨工藝均極其相似。