China, Shang dynasty (c. 1600–c. 1046 BCE) / c. 1600–1050 BCE
Ceremonial Dagger-Axe with Animal Masks (Ge)
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Ceremonial Dagger-Axe with Animal Masks (Ge) as jade (China, Shang dynasty (c. 1600–c. 1046 BCE) · c. 1600–1050 BCE).
Traces of vermilion or cinnabar remain on the taotie mask design.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this jade as jade (nephrite).
The museum's collection notes: Jade is an extremely hard material. In ancient China, it was carved or ground with fine abrasives, such as quartz sand, affixed to cutting or drilling tools. The form of this jade ( ge, ceremonial dagger axe), was likely derived from similarly shaped bronze weapons. The pointed and slightly curved blade was symmetrically carved. It seems to emerge from the mouth of the taotie , the animal mask. The taotie’s curved horns were carved in relief bands; its eyes, snout, and upper jaw are delineated in threadlike relief. Similar taotie designs are also seen on bronze vessels of the same period. The hole in the tang indicates where the blade was ori
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The Cleveland Museum of ArtCeremonial Dagger-Axe with Animal Masks (Ge)Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.