Archaic Yue-axe shaped pendant

This plain pendant differs from most pendants of the Qing period by its rendering of the archaic form of a Yue-axe (the earliest ones were found during the Shang dynasty, in the tomb of Lady Fu Hao). In ancient Chinese history, the Yue-axe was used to behead human or other victims, mostly for sacrificial purposes. Its surface was usually designed with the tiger or dragon, human face, taotie, and leiwen (square spiral) motifs. Not only the Yue-axe form but also the early symbolic decorative motives of jade carvings are present in this piece. The front and reverse sides are identical. The surface is divided into four registers. The top of the pendant has the joo-i* head pattern, followed by a narrow band of geometric design. The shallow criss-cross incise in the middle register reinforces the archaic form of the lower blade-like part of the pendant decorated with the conventional shield form or sometimes called the "stiff leaf" type (or plantain leaf jiao ye wen), a mode of decoration on jade carvings and porcelains during the Ming and Qing periods**. The overall design, the archaic Yue-axe form, the choice of old nephrite and the particular plantain leaf of the Wanli reign help identify the date of this pendant. * joo-i means 'as you wish'. It is a short sword with a sword-guard, used by the ancients for self-defense. Later, it signifies good wishes for the prosperity of the recipient. * *Art historians used different terms for this pattern. Sometimes it is called a cloud pattern