Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head

牛首玉人

c. 4700–2920 BCE
Overall: 13.2 cm (5 3/16 in.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

CMA daringly acquired this masterpiece without knowing exactly what it was. Only after Chinese archaeologists started excavating similar jades in Northeast China could it be attributed to the Hongshan culture.

Description

With a bovine head and four horns, this seated figurine was a powerful ritual and shamanic symbol. Drill holes above its shoulders form two interconnected perforations for suspension, suggesting that the jade was originally used as a pendant, presumably by the shaman performing the tasks of journeying to and communicating with the supernatural realms.
Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head

Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head

c. 4700–2920 BCE

Northeast China, Neolithic period, probably Hongshan culture (4700–2920 BCE)

Videos

Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head - Chinese language version

Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head

Chinese Jade

Bovine Amulet

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.