44 



Field Museum of Natural History — Anth., Vol. X. 



In the Kin-shih so, two ancient bronze hatchets are well figured 

 (Figs. 5 and 6), the one obtained from Lo-yang (Honan Province), 



the other from Lu-shih Men 

 (Honan Province). The latter 

 (Fig. 6) is interesting with ref- 

 erence to the jade dance-axes in 

 exhibiting a more primitive 

 form of the triangular pattern, 

 and it is very interesting to take 

 note of the interpretation of the 

 brothers Feng that this orna- 

 ment is a yang win "a pattern 

 of the male principle." l The 

 piece in Fig. 5 is remarkable 

 for its circular blade and the 

 two lateral crescent-shaped 

 barbs; the rectangular butt was stuck into the cleft of the wooden 

 handle. 



Fig. 5. 

 Ancient Bronze Hatchet (from Kin-shih so). 



IT 



Fig. 6. 

 Ancient Bronze Hatchet (from Kin-shih so). 



We are naturally led to the inquiry, what was the symbolical signif- 

 icance of jade chisels, knives and other implements buried in the grave 

 with the dead? We noticed that the late Dr. Bushell, chiefly relying 



1 They expressly deny that it has the function of a written character. 

 Chinese wording certainly means in our language a phallic emblem. 



The 



