Bidspirit auction | Carved jade cong, Liangzhu culture

Carved jade cong, Liangzhu culture - Carved jade, reddish-brown with a profuse patina bearing witness to its age. The piece has the classic quadrangular prismatic shape with a central cylindrical perforation symbolizing the connection between the earth (square) and the sky (circle). It stands out for its complex decoration on the corners, where schematic masks with large circular eyes and fine linear incisions of an archaic nature can be seen. Cong were ritual objects used as symbols of spiritual power and authority by the elite. Liangzhu culture (approx. 3300–2300 BC) or later. Size: 5.9 x 8.3 x 8.3 cm Weight: 537 g Provenance: · Collection of Tommy Lam, Hong Kong, since 1980.