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Pair of dragon-shaped green jade pendants
Source: Henan Museum Edit: acf Time: 2019.11.26 17:10:19


Warring States period (475-221 BC)
Length 11.2cm  Width 5.8 cm, Thickness 0.3cm
Length 11.2cm  Width 6 cm,  Thickness 0.3cm
Excavated at Pingliangtai, Huaiyang county, Henan province,1980

The decorations and sizes of these two pendants are almost identical. They are made of green jade, are roughly shaped, and feature identical decorative schemes on either side. The dragons heads are looking backwards, each with a single horn. They have arched bodies, and their tails curl upwards Their bodies are comprehensively decorated with grain patterns, and they each feature a small round hole at the centre of the top of their body.

Dragon-shaped pendants began to appear in large numbers during the late Spring and Autumn period. They reached their height during the Warring States period, becoming the jade work most representative of this era. Jade dragon pendants from the Warring States period often feature this lifelike design of a backward-turned head and winding body.