Chinese ancient crystal, agate

Crystal and agate (including chalcedony) are called semi-precious stones by scholars in the earth, and cultural relics call them non-mainstream jade, but they occupy a prominent position in the general jade family. Today, it seems, crystal, agate is a rich mineral deposits, but less ancient crystal, agate remains, hard to find the real thing. China has a history of 8000 years of jade culture, what role does crystal and agate play in it, what are the highlights of the times, and what is the law of its own development and evolution. Based on the archaeological findings, I combine the collection of Mr. Liu Yuxiong to do some sorting and sorting. :

1. The mining and use of crystal and agate are synchronized with the jade, which is in the initial stage of the ancients.

As early as in the Paleolithic Age, China used crystal as a raw material for stone making, which is in the stage of jade. In the middle and late Neolithic era, the use of agate and crystal to make simple tools and body decorations, the variety and quantity are relatively small, far less developed than jade, but they are in the initial stage of the ancients. Jade, crystal and agate have common characteristics of the times, and the production process is basically the same.

In the north of China, 5,500-5,000 years ago, the Hongshan Cultural Site of Niuheliang in Jianping, Liaoning Province, and the fine stoneware made of agate and chalcedony were unearthed in the ash layer of the fifth place. Inner Mongolia Weng Niuteqi also unearthed agate with agate and vermiculite as the tooth cutter. The Majiayao culture crystal pendant, unearthed from the Zongri site in Bagou Township, Tongde County, Qinghai Province, is more than 4,300 years old. It is shell-shaped, translucent, green and orange-yellow, retaining the jade characteristics of the initial state. In the Xia Dynasty, the lower culture of the Dajiazi Xiajiadian in the Aohan Banner of Inner Mongolia was excavated with 4 pieces of agate enamel (ear ornaments), completing the transition from simple small production tools and weapons to molded decorations.

In the southern Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, the Majiatun cultural site dating from 6500 to 6000 years ago, a large number of agates, jade urns (ear ornaments) and a small number of agate bracelets (wrist ornaments) were unearthed. Following this, 294 jade articles were unearthed from the Nanjing Beiyin Yangying Cultural Site dating from 6200-5700 years ago. Among them, there are more than 20 pieces of representative chalcedony and agate products. The shape has a ring shape and a strip shape. ), a small amount of chalcedony tube was unearthed from the Liangzhu Cultural Site in Zhejiang. The tomb of No. 678, Chengtou Mountain, Jixian County, Hunan Province was unearthed. Anhui Hanshan Lingjiatan ruins, dating back 5500-5300 years has unearthed more primitive forms of agate carvings works eleven hog (wild boar) and agate ax, indicating production of varieties has expanded to worship the gods and ceremonial objects.

2. The group jade, which began in the Western Zhou Dynasty, except for the jade and the brand-shaped ornaments, is the first choice for the bead and tube in series.

Shang and Zhou dynasties in addition to Jiangxi dry Oceania late Shang Dynasty tomb and spurs Boluo Guangdong, Shanxi weeks late tomb, unearthed continue crystal ring, slotted outside, these two materials produced by biological or animal less wear and ceremonial Appliances. During this period of agate materials, there were no archaeological excavations.

Zhou Pei group Yu Pei is one of the carriers of Zhou Li, a symbol of aristocratic status and status. The large group of jade began from the Western Zhou Dynasty, passed through the Spring and Autumn Warring States, and passed down to the Western Han Dynasty. The components of the period changed.

In the Western Zhou Dynasty, the green and white jade and the brand-shaped ornaments are the main bodies. In the meantime, the beads are connected in series, and the material of the bead is preferred to red and yellow agate. Such as Shaanxi Fufeng Qiangjia No. 1 Tomb, Henan Sanmenxia City Shu State Cemetery, Shanxi Quwo Jinhou Cemetery, they all maintain the original combination relationship, no harassment, from the remains can clearly see agate and jade Use materials such as turquoise and glaze.

In addition to the large group of jade, all the ornaments, chest ornaments, and hand jade grips that are connected by beads are inseparable from the agate material. The ornaments unearthed from the Tomb of the Yan Dynasty in the Liuliuhe River in Beijing, including 110 agate beads. The chest ornaments unearthed from the Tomb of the Western Zhou Dynasty in Pingdingshan, Henan Province, are mainly trapezoidal jade plates engraved with the dragon's first pattern. However, the following four sets of bead tubes are still dominated by agate materials. The agate beads and jade beads are connected in series, and the overall design is novel and unique. Mrs. Guo’s wife’s dilapidated side panels and baffles hang a large number of string ornaments, including as many as 3001 agate beads, which shows the love of the aristocrats in the agate.

3. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Qilu and its surrounding areas were popular with crystal and chalcedony products.

There are four sets of crystal and agate (chalcedony) ornaments unearthed from the Spring and Autumn Tomb of Langjiazhuang, Linyi, Shandong. Each group consists of a crystal ring as the leader and tail ornament. The middle is connected with crystal, amethyst and agate beads. The styles of the Spring and Autumn Warring States, regardless of shape, size, and grinding methods are very close. The chalcedony dragon shape of the Qing Dynasty Zhao’s tomb in the late spring and autumn of Shanxi Taiyuan is basically the same as that of Qufulu’s old city and Linyi Langjiazhuang.

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, a single agate and crystal bead string was unearthed in the Spring and Autumn Tomb of Xiachuan Xia Temple in Henan, the early Tomb of the Warring States Period in Ye County, Henan, and the Tomb of the Pingshan Warring States in Hebei. The agate beads vary in size and shape. In addition to white crystal beads, amethyst and tea crystal beads are also found.

During the Warring States period, the field archaeology found more jade dishes, but the agate and crystal textures were rarely decorated.

4. During the period of the Han, Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the scope of crystal and agate products expanded and innovation increased.

The sword-carved crystal product is set in the sword head of the high-grade sword. The literature is called "the pearl head"; the agate product is decorated on the scabbard, and the ancients regard it as "red jade". At the tomb of Liu Yu in the late Western Han Dynasty in Chencun, Xingtai, Hebei Province, the crystal swords, swords and swords were unearthed. An agate sword was unearthed from the tomb of the Han Dynasty in Ganzhou, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. The agate swords from the above different locations almost include the main components of the jade sword agate material.

With hooks and hooks, the jade belts of the Warring States Period and the Han Dynasty were unearthed and handed down. However, the crystal and agate hooks found in the official archaeological excavation report are rare. There are 1 unearthed crystal hooks from the tomb of Wang Liufei in the West Hanjiang River in Jiangsu Province and the Liugong Tomb in the Western Han Dynasty of Xuzhou Mountain in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, which can be used as evidence for the passing of the world. The hook-shaped body is small and should be used for the fastening of the upper garment. There are many agates and crystals, and the small ones should belong to the hooks.

The six-player chess piece of Liubo was first revealed in the early Warring States Period. The tomb of No. 52 in Group B of Shandong Qufu Lu City was unearthed with six pieces of sapphire and ivory pieces. In the Han Dynasty, Liu Bo was very popular. The tomb of Nanyue King in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province has been excavated with six pieces of jasper and crystal pieces, all of which are rectangular.

The dissatisfied with the two Han dynasty popular four big disappointing adornment: Weng Zhong, Gang Hao, Yan Yan, Sinan Pei, Sheng shape ornaments no crystal, agate texture. In recent years, a group of five transparent semi-precious stones, Nan Nanpe, were found in the late Eastern Han Dynasty tomb of Xinhua Community, Gongyi City, Henan Province. It seems that Si Nanpei, who uses crystal and agate, is not excluded.

In the Western Han Dynasty, miniature animals used jade, agate, crystal, turquoise, coal, amber, and glazed to make miniature animals and specific items (pot shape, square win, evil spirits, etc.) to form necklaces and wrist ornaments, which became a fashion. Jade, crystal, agate, and amber ornaments from the late Western Han Dynasty tombs of the Daquan Brigade of Maquan Commune in the western suburbs of Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province. Among them are miniature flat pots, pots, spearheads, jade, agate tubes, agate tubes, and agate. Beads, diamond-shaped agate tubes, hemispherical agates, crystal beads, glass, turquoise, colorful. The jade string ornaments unearthed at No. 14 Tomb of Xihu Huchang, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, are made of gold, jade, agate, amber, enamel and other materials such as beads, tubes, wins, sinks, pots, evil spirits, chickens, ducks and other small ornaments. Each piece also has small perforations that can be worn. These string ornaments can be used as accessories.

Crystal and agate were printed in the Warring States Period to the Han Dynasty. Copper and jade seals were more common. After the Western Han Dynasty, crystal prints and agate prints were printed. The crystal inscriptions were unearthed from the Tomb of the Han Dynasty, and the Tomb of Nanyue King was unearthed with a stamp and a crystal. The crystal of Chen Chenshi, unearthed from the tomb of Chen Youshi in Fanan Village, northern suburb of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, is white crystal, pure and flawless, with a bucket-shaped button, which is polished and polished.

The ear block (瑱) ear block is an important decoration for the aristocratic women of the Han Dynasty. Unearthed from the Han Tomb of No. 1 Niuwangmiao Village, Nanyang, Henan Province, two pieces of waist-shaped agate tube, with a small diameter and a large diameter. When published, it was called “Agate 瑱”. The same type of agate beam flared tube was also unearthed in the Han Tomb of Guangzhou. It was called "Agate Ear Block" when it was published. The same ornaments have different names.

Crystal and Agate Containers As early as in the Warring States Period, a crystal cup was unearthed at No. 1 Tomb of Shitang Town, Banshan District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is 15.4 cm high and 7.8 cm in diameter. It has a large shape and simple shape. It is the earliest known in China. A container made of crystal. In the Western Han Dynasty, the source of materials was expanded, and the containers were made of crystal and agate. The raw materials and processing techniques seemed to be no problem, but there were not many official archaeological excavations. Only the agate ear cups were unearthed from the ancient tomb of Shibei Village in Chenggonglong Street, Yunnan. Mostly jade containers. In the Warring States Period, the paint ear cups were used as daily life devices.

5. During the Han and Jin Dynasties, the agate and crystal products introduced into China by the Maritime Silk Road and the land.

In Guangdong and Guangxi region, when Guangzhou Han was South County Gunji, is Hepu Hepu County town, your county to Yulin County Gunji, overseas transportation portal. In the early Eastern Han Dynasty, the southern sea route became more important because of the blocked road traffic. Tombs unearthed a set of crystal beads ornaments, white, yellow, blue and green three kinds, there are bead-shaped, hexagonal, and irregular-shaped tubular ring Hepu County, Guangxi urban and rural yellow Nigang Xinmang period. A group of amethyst strings were unearthed from the same tomb, a total of 263 grains, some of which were slightly black in purple, and the shape of the beads was hexagonal. The agate and crystal jade ornaments of the Hansheng Tomb of Longshenggang, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, are of different sizes and shapes, including tubular jade ornaments, square-shaped jade ornaments, light red oblate agate beads, olive-shaped brown truncated agate beads, middle milky white markings, and crystal beads square, oblong purple crystal beads, agate pale yellow miniature lion lying flat and round blue, light blue, purple glass beads. In addition, Leizhou Peninsula and Hainan Island also have pearl ornaments unearthed. These agate and crystal beaded string ornaments, many of which are not produced in China, are different in production and domestic production. Due to geographical relationship, the Guangdong and Guangxi coastal areas have introduced agate and crystal products from the sea to China through private trade channels. Objective existence.

In the beadwork, there is another kind of texture-staggered skein of agate, which is mineralogically called “agate” (referring to the purple-brown color, with a natural silky texture), which is difficult to see in domestic materials. The most typical example is a set of agate and turquoise gold ornaments (horses and horses) unearthed from the Han Tomb of Ma Tengkong Village in the southern suburbs of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. The central part is hollowed out. The main location is inlaid with 4 pieces of brown stalked onyx with clear texture. Naturally, the owner of such a noble thing may be the Xiongnu nobles.

"Erosion agate" for extraterritorial production (called "etched red stone" by geoscientists). After discovering in the Spring and Autumn Chu Tombs of Xiachuan Xiachuan, Henan Province, China, they were unearthed in the Han tombs of Yunnan, Xinjiang and Guangdong. The eclipse agate tubes and beads found in China are concentrated in the northwestern region and Yunnan and Guangdong. The transmission route is no more than the onshore and maritime Silk Road.

6. Crystal products in Buddhist relics occupy a place.

The crystal products are bright as the moon, and can resist all the intrusions, in line with the requirements of Buddhist teachings. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, the Liao and Jinyuan eras, in addition to using crystals to make Buddha images, the bottles of relics, the shackles of the Buddha’s relics, the patriarchal instruments, and the Mani beads worn by Buddhist believers, many of which have found crystal products, or the crystals that the monks will like. The products are buried in the Pagoda Palace or enshrined in letters.

7. The Khitan and Jurchen nationals are particularly fond of agate and crystal utensils.

According to the literature, agate is rich in agate, and a small part of it is from outside the region. It is tribute from small countries in the Western Region or through commercial trade. The agate utensils and accessories in the Liao Tombs abound, and the crystal products are slightly less than the agate products. Inner Mongolia Zhelimu League Naiman Banner Chen Guo Princess tomb excavated agate bowl, agate enamel, bowl is red, translucent, ventral surface without carving, maintaining natural texture. It is white, and it is plain. The crystal tomb ear cup and the gold chain crystal cup are also unearthed in the same tomb. Inner Mongolia Zhaowu Dameng Bahrain Right Banner Liao Dynasty 窖藏 found a chrysanthemum agate cup, white agate cup, making a more neat, known as the best work in the Liao Dynasty jade products. The arm ornaments made of agate tubes and hollowed out golden balls are found in the tombs of the Princess Chen Guo and the tomb of Yelu Yu. However, it is difficult to determine whether the agate tube in the handed down product is a component in the arm ornament.

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