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Pig Dragon
Pig Dragon
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Randy Batista

Pig Dragon

Artist Chinese Artist
DateNeolithic period, c. 3500-3000 BCE or later
Place of originChina, Asia
MediumJade
Dimensions2 5/16 x 3/4 x 1 7/8 in. (5.9 x 1.9 x 4.8 cm)
ClassificationsClothing and accessories
Credit LineBequest of Dr. David A. Cofrin
Object number2009.48.278
Collections
Visual DescriptionThis zhulong is of mottled brown-green jade which is consistent with archaeological excavations of Hongshan sites. Its thick, feline-like body is curled into a tubular circular form. The head is distinguished by two large circular eyes framed by key-hole shaped open loops. Its flat snout and forehead are characterized by grooves of short line which represent wrinkles. The tail sweeps around to almost meet the mouth. At the back of the head, a biconically-bored hole is drilled from both sides to hang the pendant. The piece has an overall soft, rounded polish. (Bernstein appraisal)
This large bi disc has been meticulously worked with a subtle concave rim rarely seen on bi discs of this size. Small circular bracelet-form jades from recent Liangzhu excavations show edges which are slightly concave in shape. This suggests an original bone-derived stylistic element. Although these wearable jades with concave edges are more frequently seen, this bi example of large size is most unusual. The surface of the bi disc is highly polished, and there has been much attention to both sha…
Bi
Chinese, Liangzhu culture
Neolithic period or later
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