Page 76 - 18 KARATI GF 227

A thousand years of jade
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and in most cultures, jewels have remained remarkably constant in their shapes and functions. Despite the great diversity of materials, techniques and aesthetic sensitivities, vast shared affinities and influences between cultures and continents endure, which make the global history of jewellery, and particularly that of jade, surprisingly contemporary in its complexity. Symbol of the worship of sky and earth, jade is a gem which has had a deep significance in the cultural panorama of ancient civilisations since the remotest times, having a deep significance in the religious ritual and in Oriental philosophies. The prevalence of this powerful influence is verified above all in Asia, particularly in China, where jade was the protagonist in the creation of artistic artefacts and as a precious complement to weapons and armour. During the Shang dynasty (16th-1st century BC) and Zhou (770-256 BC) jade swords and halberds
In alto: tre bottoni 'floreali' reticolati in giada celadon pallida e tre placche. Dinastia Ming. In basso: "fenice e lingzhi" in giada bianca. Dinastia Qing, XIX secolo.
Top: three reticulated ‘floral’ pale celadon jade buttons and three plaques. Ming Dynasty. Bottom: a white jade “phoenix and lingzhi”. Qing Dynasty, 19th century.