id: 168196 accession number: 2009.83 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2009.83 updated: Ceremonial Blade with Three Perforations (Dao), 2000–1700 BC. Northwest China, late Neolithic period to early Bronze Age, Qijia culture (2000-1700 BC). Jade (nephrite); overall: 35.2 cm (13 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance and Greta Millikin Collection 2009.83 title: Ceremonial Blade with Three Perforations (Dao) title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 2000–1700 BC creation date earliest: -2000 creation date latest: -1700 current location: 241A Arts of Ancient China creditline: Severance and Greta Millikin Collection copyright: --- culture: Northwest China, late Neolithic period to early Bronze Age, Qijia culture (2000-1700 BC) technique: jade (nephrite) department: Chinese Art collection: China - Neolithic type: Jade find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 35.2 cm (13 7/8 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE Dredrich-Abbes Collection, ?-1959 date: ?-1959 footnotes: citations: Dr. Arthur M. Sackler Collection, 1959-2009, consigned for sale at Christie's New York date: 1959-2009 footnotes: citations: (Fine Chinese Art from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Christie's New York, NY, 18 March 2009, sale 2268, lot 275, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art). date: 2009 footnotes: citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 2009-present date: 2009- footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: Although it may look made of metal, this blade is actually skillfully worked jade. digital description: wall description: This impressive blade combines the beauty of material, precision of geometry, and mastery of technique. The fine polish, silken sheen, and extreme thinness (only 2 mm thick) make it an outstanding example of meticulous workmanship in ancient jade craft. Recent recoveries of similar blades from a pit of a Qijia cultural site located in northwest China reveal that they were originally standing on their edges and were arranged in parallel formations at the ritual ground. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Loehr, Max and Louisa G. Fitzgerald Huber. Ancient Chinese Jades from the Grenville L. Winthrop Collection in the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University: [Exhibited ... January 22-March 18, 1975]. Cambridge, Mass: Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1975. page number: cat. no 207, p. 162 url: Shaanxi Sheng kao gu yan jiu suo, and Yulin Shi wen wu bao hu yan jiu suo 陕西省考古硏究所, 榆林市文物保护研究所. Shen mu xin hua 神木新华. Beijing: Ke xue chu ban she, 2005. page number: pp. 114-115 url: Christie's New York, NY. Fine Chinese Art from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. Sale 2286.18 March 2009. Lot no. 275. page number: Reproduced and Mentioned: lot no. 275 pp.4 and 42 url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2009.83/2009.83_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2009.83/2009.83_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2009.83/2009.83_full.tif