Jade Phoenix Neolithic Shijiahe Culture

 Not Fu Hao's phoenix but still a phoenix and quite a pretty one too.😁

Jade Phoenix

The famous Fu Haos phoenix dates from Shang dynasty  I am a phoenix fan and this is the third one in my early jades collection.

Maybe older than Shang...just a conjecture

Although she bears resemblance to the famous Shang dynasty eimpress Fu Hao's jade phoenix I must admit that this one is less dramatic/impressive by comparison. The surface is badly corroded and I cant tell whether its been treated or natural weathering through 3000 years. It measures 7 cm high

Badly corroded less regal crown

The crown is less regal and the carving on the wings is also different

what is inscribed on the wings?

The famous Fu Hao phoenix dates from Shang dynasty  and I dont suppose the craftsmen of those times were allowed to replicate the fabled bird in exact detail. So maybe mine is a copy for lesser Shang citizens or a replica. Or it may even come from an earlier neolithic culture like Shijiahe culture which reputedly had jade phoenixes in their culture too.

I cant confirm the date and authenticity of this phoenix. Meanwhile just enjoy the Mystery 😎

A pair of greenstone and carnelian necklaces

Trapped in the house during the dark lock down days of Covid pandemic I raked up this pair of striking necklaces to reminisce happier times. They were sold to me some 20 years ago as Pyu dynasty but maybe later. Similar  strands of carnelian and green cylinders are shown in Elizabeth Moore's paper Carnelians in Myanmar Prehistoric to early Chinese Beads which make me hopeful that these go as far back as Pyu dynasty (around 2nd century BC - 11th century AD)

The beads are a mix of elongated green beads and carnelians interspersed with carnelian buttons and beads. There is also a centrepiece of an etched carnelian pendant on left necklace.

2 striking strands of carnelian and greenstone

Slim and slender green beads some are glass and some
 stone,  hard to tell apart

Equally striking are these elongated carnelian beads

Like the green beads these carnelian cylinders are
slim and slender and well made.

Carnelian buttons

There is also one button made of glass

Glass not carnelian

The etched carnelian pendant also makes a nice centrepiece

Close up of centrepiece pendant

Miniature Cong-shape Bead

 Combining my love for ancient beads and ancient jade is this miniature cong-form jade bead

Cong-form jade Bead

This mottled ivory color piece was purchased in Ningbo  some years back. Ningbo  is one of the heritage sites of Liangzhu Culture  3300-2300 BC and many liangzhu  artifacts including cong-shape beads have been recovered from the site . I know this is a slim connection but the  cong Bead really looks Good 😎.

Square on the outside and round inside measures
2,5cm x 2cm

It is in the form of a miniature squared hollow cylinder and measures 2.5cm x 2cm. All four side of this  bead is divided with line grooves into 4 plain squares with no decorations. The grooves display toolmarks which  maybe a sign of age. Unlike large Liangzhu congs this one does not have the trademark Liangzhu eye decorations, perhaps due to its smaller size.

However one special feature of this cong bead is its strange perforation which is hollowed out from top to bottom and meets in the center displaying a neat triangle shaped wedge.

Peering down the unusual perforation

I have not seen such a perf in a bead before and find it a bit perplexing. Also not sure whether such a perf is a plus or minus factor in its being authentic Liangzhu period.

Cong form Liangzhu bead with strange perforation

3 Lotus Beads

 Long time no post 😊

N here are 3 lotus beads I purchased in Yangon long long ago before the virus before the coup when the world was a much safer place.

3 lotus beads

Lotus I read somewhere is a symbol of hope and hopefully too these beads made from agate and amethyst come from Pyu  period (around 2nd century BC to 11th century AD)

one agate and 2 amethyst

These lotus shaped biscuits made by Siti are not unlike my beads and complement my lotus beads 😚

Lotus shaped biscuits

Rainbow beads

In these dark and desperate times, my gran daughter Sophie's rainbow beads add a bit of cheer.

Rainbow beads

She's only six years old and has started on bead stringing projects

Addictive handicraft for Sophie

and this colorful bracelet is one of her creations.

Sophie's rainbow bracelet

These beads are very versatile and can be twisted to form different shapes and identities.

Lo and behold its a unicorn 😉

It can also decorate the wrist

Sits snugly on the wrist

Another attempt at  bracelet making

Cute charm bracelet

And the present that started it all.

A box of children's beads

This post began with rainbow beads and to conclude I present a rainbow in the sky to dispel gloom and doom. 😇

Rainbow in the sky symbolises hope.

Good Bye Pig N Welcome Ratty....

Bye Pig n Welcome Rat....

Bye Pig N Welcome Rat

Its CNY time again n this lunar new year post features the intelligent Rat. Chinese zodiac runs in 12 year cycles n 12 years have flown since my post on the Year of the Rat 2008. (see link below)

https://baiyu-quietmuse.blogspot.com/2008/02/gong-xi-fa-cai-here-comes-ratty.html

I have few rat collectibles and can only rustle  up 5 pieces but none as impressive as the 2008 piece.😑

The first is a black incense pot ( perhaps color wise not so appropriate  for CNY ) with  5 rats carved on it. Not sure what the symbolism of Rats on a Pot is but its pretty striking

Black bronze pot with 5 rat carvings

Next is a snuff bottle with rat etched on both sides borrowed from Heng.

Snuff bottle with rat drawing

Again the color is black. Seems black and white are the 2 colors for depicting rats. Below are 2 whitish grey small jade carvings of the tiny creature.

Crouching rat

One on the right has a touch of green in the jade

And last I managed to get this pink glass Micky Mouse to cheer up this post of Lunar New Year 2020 of the Rat

Is it Year of the Rat or Year of the Mouse?  🐭🐁🐀

Christmas 2019

To celebrate Christmas 2019 here are 2 dusky red carnelian seals from different countries and maybe centuries, both with intaglio carving of animals.

Seal carving of  deer?

Carving of bird

The left seal looks like a deer with antlers on the head but wings on the body seem contrary. It has the feel of some legendary animal from ancient times. It is oval shaped and is also a bead as it is perforated from both sides and measures 3 cm across.

Seal is also perforated

The tiny, round seal on the right has a bird carving on one side and is plain on the other. Measures 1.5 cm

Plain  back

The deer like seal was purchased in China while the bird seal was bought in Cambodia. I don't know what  exact age or culture these seals belong to so just enjoy them as  lovely artworks from the past. 😊

....And  not forgetting the plasticine   impressions of the two seals.

Is this a deer?

Depicts a bird.

Lastly,  here is a picture I specially colored  to send Seasons Greetings to Readers on the Net💖💖💖

Merry Christmas !  Happy 2020!

Beaded Floral Sprays

Having made Jade Sprays, see  related link  https://baiyu-quietmuse.blogspot.com/2015/03/new-life-for-old-charms.html I have moved on to making  Beaded Floral Sprays. Below are some examples of my work using seed beads, old glass beads, and jade.

a basic spray of daisies

made from old Peking glass crumb beads

look like lily buds ?

And  a collage of my beaded sprays

Collage of  3 beaded sprays

Colourful beads make pretty flowers

I like to portray my beads as flowers

My miniature sprays also look nice standing in miniature antique bottles seen below

Composed from a mix of glass beads and jade charms

The last and most complex spray's pattern was copied from a book and made  with small seed beads, carnelian beads and jade leaves.

Pattern copied from a bead and wiring book

 *See also link  https://baiyu-quietmuse.blogspot.com/2015/03/new-life-for-old-charms.html

Whimsical Whistles from Long Ago

This post will be going slightly off topic as I will be showing objects which are neither jade nor beads. Instead I will show my 3 antique  ceramic whistles from around the Song - Yuan dynasty or later.  But since whistles like beads are tiny and have pierced holes I somehow see a connection.😊

Antique porcelain whistles are one of the tiniest artefacts made by Chinese potters. I don't really know what function they serve in the old days but it has been speculated that whistles are toys (for children ?) Another research paper has put up a theory that they are possibly musical  instruments giving out wonderful notes.  So far I have not the nerve to  test them with my mouth.😋

My 3 whistles were made in the Cizhou kilns of Hebei, China. This kiln mostly catered to the needs of common people  and Cizhou porcelain was typical of folk wares of this period.

Now to show the pictures of the 3 diminutive figurine whistles. The 2 smaller whistles are only 4.5 cm high while the bigger one measures 6 cm. 

3 ceramic whistles from  Cizhou kilns

This pair looks like a pair of twins. They have a dignified air and  I cant make out whether they are boys or men. Also seem to be bearing some object in their hands.

Are they twins?

Although the bigger whistle has lost its glaze some details can still be gleaned. The figurine has a  benevolent smile and mien with hands  clasped round a bag with handle

Figurine has a benevolent smile

Showing the back of the  2 smaller whistles

Holes on top and at the back

The bigger whistle unfortunately  is partially broken at the back

Partial damage to the back

And here's a modern whistle from granddaughter Sophie, borrowed for comparison.

Modern 2018 child's whistle

Whistles from 10th-to 21st century.

The old with the new

* Please refer to Freer and Sackler Museum website for more examples of whistles from Cizhou kilns.