Xia Dynasty (c.2070 BC — 1600 BC) was founded by Yu the Great 大禹. There are many writings about Yu subdued the great floods and how he passed the throne to his own line of descendants. No archaeological evidence of his existence until recently.
Bronze Jue, Ritual Vessel 铜爵
Bronze | Xia dynasty (21st – 16th Century BC) | Dimensions – L: 13.4cm, W:8cm, H: 11.4cm | Luoyang Museum Collection, Excavated at Erlitou site in Yanshi, Luoyang, 1973 青铜 | 夏代（约公元前21世纪～前16世纪）| 长13.4厘米，宽8厘米，高11.4厘米 | 洛阳博物馆藏, 1973年洛阳偃师二里头遗址出土
A jue 爵 is a type of ancient Chinese vessel used to serve warm wine during ancestor-worship ceremonies. This bronze Jue dates from the Third period of the Erlitou Culture 二里头文化, and is among the most ancient of Chinese bronzes. It reflects the primitiveness of the Chinese early bronze casting technology, without any motifs on it.
The Xia Dynasty was the first hereditary kingdom in the history of China, which was established in the Yellow River area by descendants of the Yellow Emperor (or Huang Di 黄帝, considered the ancestor of all Chinese). In about 471 years of Xia’s ruling period, about 17 kings had reigned the empire.
Before the discovery of the Erlitou site, there was no archaeological evidence of Xia Period excavated although there were large amount of documentary evidence. Hence the debate as to whether documentary evidence e.g. ancient texts and scribes would be sufficient to confirm a civilisation or a social collective existed.
Bronze Jue Wine Vessel 乳钉纹平底爵
Bronze | Xia dynasty (21st – 16th Century BC) | Dimensions – H: 22.5cm, L:31.5cm (from spout to flange) | Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital, Excavated at Erlitou site in Yanshi, Luoyang, 1975 青铜饮酒器｜夏代（约公元前21世纪～前16世纪）｜高22.5厘米，长31.5厘米（从流至尾）｜二里头夏都遗址博物馆， 1975年河南偃师二里头遗址出土
The Jue 爵 takes the form of an ovoid body supported by three splayed triangular legs, with a long curved spout (liu 流, left side) on one side and a counterbalancing flange (wei 尾, right side) on the other. Many examples have one or two loop handles (pan 鋬) on the side and two column-shaped protuberances (zhu 柱) on the top of the vessel, which were probably used to enable the vessel to be lifted using leather straps.
Jia (wine vessel) with Bead Pattern 连珠纹斝
Bronze | Late Xia Period (18th century- 16th century BC) | Dimensions – H. 24 cm, Diam. (mouth) 15 cm, Wt. 925 g | Shanghai Museum 铜器｜夏代晚期（公元前18-前16世纪）｜ 高24厘米，口径15厘米，重925克｜上海博物馆藏
Around 2000 BCE, China entered the Bronze Age. Small bronze sacrificial vessels as well as red copper and arsenic bronze vessels cast with piece-mold technique, have been found at the Shimao site and Taosi site. The Wangchenggang site in Dengfeng, Henan province, was the capital of the early Xia dynasty, where the earliest known tin bronze vessel fragments cast with piece molds were found.
Yue (Weapon) Inlaid With Cross Pattern 镶嵌十字纹方钺
Bronze | Late Xia Period (18th century- 16th century BC) | Dimensions – L: 35.6cm, W: 33.2cm, Thickness: 9mm, Wt: 5.16kg | Shanghai Museum 铜器｜夏代晚期（公元前18-前16世纪）｜ 长35.6厘米，刃宽33.2厘米、厚9毫米，重5.16千克，圆孔直径6.1厘米｜上海博物馆藏
The Erlitou culture of the late Xia dynasty was a relatively mature bronze culture, where bronze vessels, musical instruments, weapons, tools, and ornaments, as well as large-scale foundry sites have been found. During this period, bronze wares were cast in regular shapes with even and thin walls, and only a few wares were decorated with geometric patterns such as string and bead patterns. Bronze wares used in sets began to convey the function of rites.
Erlitou Culture 二里头文化
Many archetypal Chinese artifacts were first found in Erlitou culture 二里头文化 sites. The earliest bronze ding 鼎 (middle) in China were found in the fourth stage of the Erlitou culture, decorated with striped grid patterns. The earliest metal bells 铜铃 (left), with one found in the Taosi site, and four in the Erlitou site, dated to about 2000 BC, may have been derived from the earlier pottery prototype. The first bronze dagger-axe or ge appeared at the Erlitou site, where two were found among over 200 bronze artifacts (as of 2002) at the site. Three jade ge were also discovered from the same site.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
0 comments on “Treasures – Bronze Jue (Xia Dynasty)”