This exceptional green jade piece with minor russet inclusions is finely polished. It is carved into a naked squatting beast with horned head, outspread ears and big almond eyes, its hands placed on the knees, with an aperture on the back. Its appearance and posture are typical of the Hongshan Culture.
The Hongshan Culture is dated about 6,000 years ago. Due to its rich cultural and historical value, there are plans to submit related archaeological sites to UNESCO for this to be recognised as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Similarly, the Liangzhu Culture can be dated to about 5,000 years ago. The related archaeological site in Zhejiang province was officially submitted to UNESCO in 2018, also for World Heritage recognition.

綠玉，玉質溫潤，略帶沁色。圓雕獸首人形，赤身呈蹲坐狀，頭豎雙角，耳外張，杏形大眼，雙手置膝上，背部有穿孔，屬典型紅山文化造型；加上保存完好，極為難得。
紅山文化距今約6000年，極具歷史文化價值。故國家文物局早已於2006年，將牛河梁紅山文化遺址列入《中國世界遺產預備名單》；有關方面另已積極準備申請世遺的工作。可作參考的是，良渚文化距今約5000年，同樣為重要的中國歷史文化部分。中國聯合國教科文組織全國委員會秘書處已於2018年致函聯合國教科文組織，推薦浙江「良渚古城遺址」作為世界文化遺產申報項目。

8.4cm high; 4.9cm wide; 2.7cm deep

Lisa's Collection