Chinese
Archaic Ritual Ko (Axe), 12th century BCE, Shang Dynasty, 1600–1046 BCE
Not on view
Jade
Dimensions6 5/8 × 3 × 2 5/8 in. (16.8 × 7.6 × 6.7 cm)
Gift of Miss Carol Churchill Pierson, 2005.188
This flat Ritual Ko or axe was attached to a handle by leather lacing and used as a scepter in ceremonial and religious occasions. The small grooves on both sides of the axe are likely abstract depictions of the crest and tail feathers of the mythological Fenghuang, or Phoenix, bird. Believed to produce mystic powers or create supernatural connections, jade was important in ceremonies and rituals in ancient China.
