A pig dragon or ''zhūlóng'' ()
is a type of
jade
Jade is an umbrella term for two different types of decorative rocks used for jewelry or Ornament (art), ornaments. Jade is often referred to by either of two different silicate mineral names: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in t ...
artifact from the
Hongshan culture of
Neolithic China
This is a list of Neolithic cultures of China that have been unearthed by archaeologists. They are sorted in chronological order from earliest to latest and are followed by a schematic visualization of these cultures.
It would seem that the defi ...
. Pig dragons are zoomorphic forms with a pig-like head and elongated limbless body coiled around to the head and described as "suggestively fetal". Early pig dragons are thick and stubby, and later examples have more graceful, snakelike bodies.
Pig dragons were produced by the
Hongshan culture (4700 to 2900 BC). Along with the same culture's jade eagles (),
[Ko, Patrick. ''Federation of Medical Studies of Hong Kong'',]
The History of Ancient Chinese Jade Culture
. Jan 2008. they often featured as
grave goods
Grave goods, in archaeology and anthropology, are items buried along with a body.
They are usually personal possessions, supplies to smooth the deceased's journey into an afterlife, or offerings to gods. Grave goods may be classed by researche ...
. Pig bones have been found interred alongside humans at Hongshan burial sites, suggesting that the animal had some ritual significance.
There is some speculation that the pig dragon is the first representation of the
Chinese dragon
The Chinese dragon or loong is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture generally. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms, such as Bixi (mythology), turtles and Chiwen, fish, but are most commonly ...
. The character for "dragon" in the earliest
Chinese writing
Written Chinese is a writing system that uses Chinese characters and other symbols to represent the Chinese languages. Chinese characters do not directly represent pronunciation, unlike letters in an alphabet or syllabograms in a syllabary. Rathe ...
has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the
Shang period.
[Salviati, Filippo (2002). ''The Language of Adornment: Chinese Ornaments of Jade, Crystal, Amber and Glass'', Fig. 17. Ten Speed Press. .]
See also
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Bi (jade)
The ''bi'' ( zh, 璧, bì) is a type of circular ancient Chinese jade artifact. The earliest ''bi'' were produced in the Neolithic period, particularly by the Liangzhu culture ( 3400– 2250 BCE).
*
Chinese jade
Chinese jade refers to the jade mined or carved in China from the Neolithic onward. It is the primary hardstone of Chinese sculpture. Although deep and bright green jadeite is better known in Europe, for most of China's history, jade has c ...
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Cong (jade)
A ''cong'' () is a form of ancient Chinese jade artifact. It was later also used in ceramics.
History
The earliest ''cong'' were produced by the Xuejiagang culture and the Liangzhu culture ( 3400– 2250 BC); later examples date mainly fro ...
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Gogok
''Gobeunok'' or ''Gogok'' are comma-shaped or curved beads and jewels that appeared from middle age of Mumun Period (850 to 550 BC) through the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 BC to 668 AD). The ''Gogok'' (곡옥; 曲玉) is posited by researchers t ...
*
Lingling-o
''Lingling-o'' or ''ling-ling-o'' are a type of penannular or double-headed pendant or amulet that have been associated with various Late Neolithic to late Iron Age Austronesian cultures. Most ''lingling-o'' were made in jade workshops in the ...
*
Magatama
are curved, comma-shaped beads that appeared in prehistoric Japan from the Jōmon period, Final Jōmon period through the Kofun period, approximately 1000 BCE to the 6th century CE. The beads, also described as jewels, were made of stone and e ...
References
External links
Discussion and Images of Pig Dragons
Archaeological artifacts of China
Chinese dragons
Jade
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