Henan Museum
Jade Axe
Edit: Acf
Time: 2024-09-29 17:33:05
Period: Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC)
Provenance: Unearthed from the tomb of Huangji tuofu at Baoxiang monastery, Guangshan county, Henan province, 1988
Measurements: L.15.4 cm, Thk. 0.8cm
About:

44131-A-1_副本.jpg

The axe, in a flat rectangular form and grayish-white, features a narrow upper part, and a little bit wider lower part with an arched blade. In the middle of the two sides are a couple of protruding flanges.

Yue(axe) was a kind of weapon in ancient China, the jade axe emerged in the late Neolithic Age, and thrived in the Shang and Zhou periods. Among the burial goods, the jade axes functionally served as ceremonial objects, and the symbols of the military authority. The archaeological excavations showed that the tombs buried with jade axes have more abundant and higher-grade burial goods, indicating the wealth and high status of the tomb occupant.

Huangjituofu’s tomb belongs to the Huang principality of the early Spring and Autumn period. The Huang principality, whose king had a surname Ying (rather than the same imperial surname as that of the kings of other vassal states), was a comparatively more powerful and militarily stronger state among its counterparts in the modern south Henan regions. Apart from the jade axe, other bronze weapons such as sword, dagger axe, arrow were also excavated, they were elaborately made and extremely sharp, are superior among the weaponry of the early Spring and Autumn period.