Abstract
Texts and images are commonly found on ancient ritual objects. These ritual objects, whether made of bronze, jade, lacquer, ceramic, or textile, frequently bear decorative motifs or pictorial images on the surface. Inscriptions or texts are somewhat less prevalent. Apart from the inscriptions on bronzes, texts or words on ancient ritual objects are brief and tend to be subordinate, or serve to provide information related to their manufacture. Interestingly, during the Eastern Han period, some inscriptions or texts on a wider range of ritual objects appeared as separate motifs, or were placed in a more important position on the objects. This paper selected jade, a material of object that usually are plain or have decorative motifs on the surface, and rarely bear texts or inscription, as a starting point. By examining the content and the way the texts are displayed on jade objects, this paper discusses the role and implications of texts on jade and other ritual objects during the Han era, particularly in the burial context.
Presenters
Eileen Hau Ling LamAssistant Professor, Department of Cultural and Creative Arts, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Jade, Ritual objects, Inscriptions, Texts, Han dynasty
