Forked blade (<em>zhang</em> 璋)
date: label: Date
content: ca. 2000-1700 BCE
label: Period
content: Late Neolithic period
notes: label: Description
content: Ceremonial implement of nephrite; slightly concave on both sides; lateral edges flare to form a sharp concave edge at the end, with a prominent lateral projection on each side above a perforated tang; longitudinal saw marks and roughly chipped end on handle; greenish black faintly mottled with lighter tone. (Slightly chipped.)
label: Description
content: Acquired with a box, now lost.
label: Description
content: (Jenny F. So, from Jade Project Database) Dark grayish olive "puddingstone." Thick, with slightly concave surfaces on both faces. Asymmetrical curved top, beveled like "W" on one ("front") face. Conical hole, drilled from face without beveled top. Slice mark runs lengthwise on front face, ending at base of tang. Blunt single notches on each side of base of blade.
label: Provenance
content: To 1916
label: Provenance
content: You Xiaoxi, Shanghai, to 1916 [1]
label: Provenance
content: From 1916 to 1919
label: Provenance
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from You Xiaoxi, in New York in 1916 [2]
label: Provenance
content: From 1920
label: Provenance
content: Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
label: Provenance
content: Notes:
label: Provenance
content: [1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 1037, pg. 230, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
label: Provenance
content: [2] See note 1.
label: Provenance
content: [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
label: Collection
content: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
label: Exhibition History
content: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)
label: Exhibition History
content: Ancient Chinese Jades and Bronzes (November 20, 2010 to January 3, 2016)
label: Exhibition History
content: Ancient Chinese Jades (May 9, 1993 to May 18, 1998)
label: Exhibition History
content: Ancient Chinese Jade (September 4, 1980 to March 6, 1981)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Bronze, Jade, Metalwork (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)
label: Exhibition History
content: Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Jade and Bronze (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1946 (May 7, 1946 to February 25, 1956)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1945 (January 9, 1945 to August 20, 1955)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1944 (December 13, 1944 to May 7, 1946)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1944 (November 15, 1944 to May 6, 1946)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to November 17, 1944)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)
label: Exhibition History
content: Ancient Chinese Paintings, Sculptures, and Jade Objects from the Collection formed by Charles Lang Freer (November 15 to December 08, 1917)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: You Xiaoxi 游篠溪 (late 19th-early 20th century) (C.L. Freer source)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
place: label: Origin
content: Shenmu Shimao, probably Shaanxi province, China
topic: label: Topic
content: jade
label: Topic
content: nephrite
label: Topic
content: Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000 - ca. 1700 BCE)
label: Topic
content: China
label: Topic
content: Chinese Art
label: Topic
content: Charles Lang Freer collection
culture: label: Culture
content: Longshan culture, ca. 3000-ca. 1700 BCE
setName: label: On View
content: West Building (Freer Gallery of Art), Gallery 19: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades
label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: Related Online Resources
content: Jades for Life and Death
label: See more items in
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Charles Lang Freer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: F1916.491
objectType: label: Type
content: Ceremonial Object
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Jade (nephrite)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 43.7 x 8.8 x 0.7 cm (17 3/16 x 3 7/16 x 1/4 in)