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Cong sculpture, Asia - Public domain museum photogrpaph
Summary
A square tube pierced with a circular hole: this object is known as a cong. It has stylized, round eyes engraved at the corners and belongs to the late Neolithic culture of the coastal area of Southeast China. Judging from its exterior this object does not seem to have had any discernible practical or decorative function. Archaeological research suggests that objects like these were ritual grave goods.
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of minerals), or jadeite (a silicate of sodium and aluminium in the pyroxene group of minerals). Jade is well known for its ornamental use in East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian art. It is commonly used in Latin America, such as Mexico and Guatemala. The use of jade in Mesoamerica for symbolic and ideological ritual was influenced by its rarity and value among pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Olmecs, the Maya, and other ancient civilizations of the Valley of Mexico.
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