Dagger-axe (Ko) / Artist Unknown, China
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1960/2.119
- Title
- Dagger-axe (Ko)
- Artist
- Artist Unknown, China
- Medium and Support
- heat-treated jade
- Object Creation Date
- 1600 BCE - 1100 BCE
- Object Creation Place
- Asia (continent)
- China (nation)
- Henan (province)
- Anyang
- Creation Place 1
- Asia (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- China (nation)
- Creation Place 3
- Henan (province)
- Creation Place 4
- Anyang
- Credit Line
- Museum purchase from the collection of Max Loehr
- Dimensions
- 28.2 cm x 5.2 cm x 0.3 cm (11 1/8 in. x 2 1/16 in. x 1/8 in.)
- Century
- 16th-12th century BCE
- Primary Object Classification
- Arms and Armor
- Primary Object Type
- dagger
- Secondary Object Classification
- Ritual Objects
- Secondary Object Type
- carving
- Physical Description
- ceremonial jade ge dagger-axe, pointed blade on one end and squared tang for hafting on the other. It was broken and mented in the middle. Traces of cinnabar, red mercury sulfide, remain on the jade surface, indicating it probably came from a Shang elite burial in China. The jade material was probably fire treated to create the bony look.
- Subject Matter
- jade ge dagger-axe for ceremonial display by Shang (circa 16th to 11th century B.C.) elite in Bronze Age China, often discovered as grave goods in elite burials of the Late Shang period, along with bronze halberds and other military hardware associated with chariot warfare. It was probably once covered in cinnabar, red mercury sulfide, as everything else in the elite burial. The jade or hardstone was probably heat treated to create the bony look.
- Secondary Keywords
- descriptors
- events
- inorganic material
- materials
- materials by composition
- objects we use
- people and culture
- rock
- rock by form
- weapons and ammunition
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 1425 x 601
- File Size
- 62 KB
- Record
- 1960/2.119
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1960-sl-2.119/1960_2.119obv.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
- In public portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1960-SL-2.119:1960_2.119OBV.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Dagger-axe (Ko); Artist Unknown, China." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1960-sl-2.119/1960_2.119obv.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 18, 2024.
