Feb., 1912. Jade. 37 



clutched around the butt, while thumb and middle finger caught into 

 the hole from above and below. 



The chisel on Plate IV is of extraordinary size and weight (2 l / 2 lbs.), 

 22 cm long, 1 1.7 cm wide above and 14.5 cm wide below, and 1 cm 

 thick; it is somewhat thicker in the centre and gradually sloping from 

 there towards the edges. The upper edge is somewhat slanting, the 

 sides are slightly convex, and the blade makes an elegantly curved 

 sweep. It is blunt, about 2 mm wide. The implement was accordingly 

 ceremonial, as shown also by its size and weight. The large eye (2.5 

 cm in diameter) is just in the centre between the two lateral sides and 

 has been drilled equally from the upper and lower face forming a pro- 

 jecting rim in the middle of the interior. The color of the stone is of an 

 indistinct gray interspersed all over with deep -yellow spots (which 

 show black in the plate). 



On Plate V three chisels are shown. That in Fig. 1 is of oblong 

 rectangular shape (15 cm long, 2.2-3.2 cm wide, and 1 cm thick) of 

 milk-white opaque jade with yellow streaks and spots, perforated near 

 the handle where a small piece is chipped off. The edge is but slightly 

 rounded, almost straight and angular; it is blunt now, having appar- 

 ently been long in use, and cracked, earthy matter having deeply pen- 

 etrated into it. Fig. 2 represents the same type (15.5 cm long, 3.7-4.2 

 cm wide, and 9 mm thick in the middle) of a light sea-green jade. Above 

 and below the perforation, a leaf -shaped cavity (7.5 cm long) in the 

 surface will be noticed which offered a convenient resting-place for the 

 second finger when the thumb and third finger clasped the narrow 

 sides in using the instrument for cutting or scraping. The edge is 

 still sharp, very little curved; the blade is gradually sloping towards 

 the edge over 0.5 cm. The perforation has been effected from one face 

 only, i-e. from the face opposite the one shown in the plate where the 

 diameter is 1 cm while on the face shown it is only 0.5 cm. 



The piece in Fig. 3 (14 cm long, 5.2-6.2 cm wide, 2-5 mm thick) 

 is one of exceptional beauty because of the quality and color of its jade 

 which has the appearance of ivory. 1 It forms a flat rectangle tapering, 

 as also the others, towards the handle. The two eyes are drilled from 

 the side shown in the plate (0.8 and 1.2 cm in diameter). The edge is 

 slightly curved and bevelled off at the corners. This piece is so elegantly 

 polished and of such elaborate material and workmanship that it cannot 

 have been employed for ordinary use. The two perforations point 

 also to its ceremonial character. 



The chisel in Fig. 1, Plate VI, is made of a deep-black jade spotted 

 in the lower portion with grayish-blue clouds as visible in the repro- 



1 Called by the Chinese " chickenbone- white " (chi ku pai). 



