1. The development and utilization of crystals and agates are synchronized with jade and are in the primary stage of ancient jade treatment.
As early as the Paleolithic Age, China used crystal as the raw material for making stone tools, which was in the stage of jade stone tools. In the middle and late Neolithic period, agate and crystal were used to make simple tools and human ornaments, with few varieties and quantities, far less developed than jade, but they were all in the initial stage of ancient jade processing. Emerald, crystal and agate have the same characteristics of the times, and their manufacturing processes are basically the same.
From 5500 to 5000 years ago, a microlith made of agate chalcedony was unearthed for the fifth time in the Hongshan Culture site of Niuheliang, Jianping, Liaoning, northern China, among which the triangular arrow is the most representative. The blade of a bone-handled dental knife made of agate and flint was also unearthed in Wengniute Banner, Inner Mongolia. The crystal pendant of Majiayao culture unearthed from Zongri Site in Bagou Township, Tongde County, Qinghai Province, which is more than 4,300 years ago, is shell-shaped, translucent, green and orange, and retains the original jade treatment characteristics. In the Xia Dynasty, four agate pendants (earrings) were unearthed from the lower culture of Xiajiadian, Dadianzi, Aohan Banner, Inner Mongolia, completing the transformation from simple small production tools and weapons to stereotypes.
A large number of agates, chalcedony embroidery (earrings) and a small number of agate bracelets (wrist ornaments) dating from 6500 to 6000 years ago have been unearthed in Majiabang cultural site in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in the south. Next, 294 jade articles were unearthed at Yangying Cultural Site in Beiyin, Nanjing, 6200-5700 years ago, including more than 20 representative chalcedony and agate products, including ring vessels and strip ornaments. A small number of chalcedony tubes have also been unearthed in Liangzhu Cultural Site in Zhejiang Province. Agate yellow unearthed from Tomb 678 of Chengtoushan, Lixian County, Hunan Province. From 5,500 to 5,300 years ago, relatively primitive round carvings-agate jackals (wild boar) and agate cymbals-were unearthed at Lingjiatan site in Hanshan, Anhui Province, indicating that the production varieties have been expanded to worship gods and ceremonial utensils.
2. In Yu Pei in the Western Zhou Dynasty, agate was the first choice for beading and stringing besides jade yellow and card ornaments.
During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, except for the tombs in the late Shang Dynasty in Dayang Prefecture, Xingan County, Jiangxi Province and the tombs in the middle and late Zhou Dynasty in Hengshan Mountain, Boluo County, Guangdong Province, crystal rings and bamboo slips continued to be unearthed, and there were few elephant ornaments and ritual vessels made of these two materials. There was no archaeological excavation of agate ritual vessels in this period.
Yu Pei, a native of Zhou Dynasty, is one of the carriers of Zhou rites and a symbol of aristocratic status. Yu Pei is a huge group, which began in the Western Zhou Dynasty, went through the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and continued to the Western Han Dynasty. Its composition changed in different periods.
In the Western Zhou Dynasty, green, white jade yellow and card-shaped ornaments were the main accessories, and the tubes and beads were connected in series, and the red and yellow agate was the first choice for the tubes and beads. For example, the tomb of Fufeng 1 in Shaanxi Province, Guo Cemetery in Sanmenxia City, Henan Province, and Jinhou Cemetery in Quwo, Shanxi Province all maintained their original combination relationship and were not disturbed. It is obvious from the remains that agate is used with jade, turquoise, glass and other materials.
Except for Yu Pei, a big group, all necklaces, brooches and jade handles connected in series with beads are inseparable from agate materials. Ornaments unearthed from the Western Zhou Tomb in Liu Lihe, Beijing, including 1 10 agate beads. The chest ornament unearthed from the Western Zhou Tomb in Pingdingshan, Henan Province is mainly a trapezoidal jade plate with a dragon head pattern, but the following four groups of beads are still mainly agate, and agate beads and jade beads are connected in series at intervals, so the overall design is novel and unique. Mrs. Guo hung a large number of string ornaments on the side plates and baffles of the room, among which agate beads were as many as 300 1 piece, which showed the noble's beautiful love for agate.
3. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, crystal and chalcedony products were popular in Qilu and its surrounding areas.
Four groups of crystal and agate (chalcedony) strung ornaments were unearthed from the Spring and Autumn Tomb in Langjiazhuang, Linzi, Shandong. Each group is led by a crystal ring, with crystal, amethyst and agate tubes connected in series in the middle, which are colorful. Tombs in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period are similar in shape, size and polishing methods. The chalcedony dragon ornaments unearthed from Zhao Tomb in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province in the late Spring and Autumn Period are basically the same as those unearthed from Qufu Ancient City and Langjiazhuang in Linzi.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, relatively simple agates and crystal beads were unearthed in Si Xia 1 Tomb in Xichuan, Henan Province, Yexian Ancient City Tomb in Henan Province in the early Warring States Period and Pingshan Tomb in Hebei Province in the middle of the Warring States Period. Agate beads vary in size and shape, while crystal beads are white, amethyst and tea crystal beads are also found from time to time.
During the Warring States period, there were more jade plates found in field archaeology, but fewer agate and crystal plates.
4. During the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the scope of crystal and agate products expanded and innovation increased.
The crystal products decorated with swords are embedded in the head of high-grade swords, which is called "bead head" in the literature. The scabbard was decorated with agate products, which were regarded as "rubies" by the ancients. Crystal swords, swords and swords were unearthed from Liu Yu's tomb in Beichen Village, Xingtai, Hebei Province in the late Western Han Dynasty. Agate Sword Unearthed from the Tomb of Tiger Zheng Han in Ganquan, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. Agate sword ornaments from the above different places almost include the main components of jade sword agate material.
There are many jade hooks handed down from ancient times during the Warring States and Han Dynasties, but there are few crystal and agate hooks in the official archaeological excavation report. The crystal hook 1 piece unearthed from the tomb of King Jiangdu of the Western Han Dynasty in Dayunshan, Xuyi, Jiangsu Province and the tomb of Han Dynasty in Xiaogui, Jiangsu Province can be used as evidence for the dating of handed down works. The body of lapel hook is very small, which should be used to button coat lapels. There are many agate crystal hooks handed down from ancient times, among which the small one should belong to the front hook.
Liu Boqi's son Liu Boqi appeared in the early Warring States period. Six sapphires and six ivory were unearthed from Tomb 52, Group B, Qufu Ancient City, Shandong Province. In the Han Dynasty, Liubo chess became very popular. Six jasper and six crystals, all rectangular, were unearthed from the tomb of Nanyue King in Guangzhou, Guangdong.
There are four kinds of decorations popular in Han Dynasty: Weng Zhong, Mao Gang, Mao Yan and Sinanpei. There is no crystal or agate texture in the decoration. In recent years, a complete set of five transparent semi-precious stones-Sinanpei was found in the tombs of the late Eastern Han Dynasty in Xinhua Community, gongyi city, Henan Province. It seems that it is not excluded to make Sinanpei with crystal and agate.
During the Western Han Dynasty, it became a fashion to make miniature animals and specific objects (pot-shaped, Fang Sheng, evil spirits, etc.). ) Necklaces and wrist ornaments are made of jade, agate, crystal, turquoise, coal essence, amber and glass. In the late Western Han Dynasty, jade, crystal, agate and amber string ornaments were unearthed from the tomb of Daquan Brigade of Ma Quan Commune in the western suburbs of Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, including miniature flat pot, pot-shaped, spearhead-shaped Yu Pei, colored agate tube, etched agate tube, agate bead, rhombic agate tube, hemispherical agate ornament, crystal bead tube, glass ornament and turquoise ornament. Jade string ornaments unearthed from Tomb Hu Chang 14, West Lake, Hanjiang, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, are made of gold, jade, agate, amber, tortoise shell and other materials, including beads, tubes, pendants, pots, chickens and ducks to ward off evil spirits. The images are extremely vivid, and each work has tiny perforations, which can be hung and worn. These strings can all be used as necklaces.