Figurine - Hongshan Cultuur Schedel van Tektiet - Antiek...

Presented on a custom pedestal is a rare Skull Sculpture made entirely of Natural Glass by a member of the Chinese Hongshan Culture, whose origin lies in the Neolithic, about 4000 years ago. What is natural glass, also known as desert glass? Natural glass is nothing less than a wonder of nature, formed millions of years ago through the natural impact of a meteorite. When a large meteorite strikes the Earth it releases an astronomical amount of energy, generating temperatures high enough to melt sand into enormous chunks of 'natural glass' that remain in the craters. The best-known example of this phenomenon is the so-called Libyan Glass, so valuable that it is sold by the gram. Much less known is the Chinese version of this glass, which was mined by members of the ancient Hongshan culture to hand-cut figures, such as the beautiful Deity figure we see here. The figure is not fixed to the holder; it can be easily picked up to study up close. For those who wish additional background information on this natural glass, I would like to refer to a text from the lecture given by Professor David Anderson on this subject for the Royal Geographical Society of Hong Kong. This text can be found online via Google under the title 'The Riddle of Chinese Glass'. A video of the lecture itself can be found on YouTube under the title 'Hongshan Culture and the Mystery of China's Unique Natural Glass'. The Hongshan culture in which this ornament originated remains shrouded in many mysteries because research into this culture is still in its early stages. Because the highly secluded Hongshan archaeological site in northeastern China was discovered and studied relatively late by Japanese researchers, these finds were long ignored by the Chinese scientific elite, who always assumed that the cradle of Chinese civilization lay elsewhere. In recent years, however, there has been a tendency to revise this view, and one is starting to admit that the cradle of Chinese civilization indeed lies with Hongshan (which means 'red mountain' in Chinese, named after the site). The current rulers in China have therefore announced that the focus of scientific research into the earliest origins of Chinese civilization will move more and more toward the aforementioned area. At the same time as this announcement, a series of books and TV documentaries are planned for the coming years to bring the Hongshan culture more to the attention of the world audience. For now, only a few publications are available that provide more information. The standard work in this field is written by the Scottish Professor David C. Anderson mentioned above, titled 'Hongshan Jade Treasures: The Art, Iconography and Authentication of Carvings from China's Finest Neolithic Culture'. A very educational and richly illustrated book, which also devotes ample attention to this type of natural glass. However, with the increasing interest in the Hongshan Culture, the book is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. If you are unable to obtain a copy, I recommend consulting the English-language Wikipedia page dedicated to the 'Hongshan Culture' (also available in many other languages). Such figurines that possess a so-called 'provenance' (history of origin) are often sold at famous auction houses for (very) high prices. Merely because the provenance of this specimen is not documented, it can be offered without a reserve price and ends up in the possession of the highest bidder. There is no certainty about the precise age of this delicate sculpture, only that it possesses all the stylistic features of this old, lost civilization. The total height of the object (including the pedestal) is 15.5 cm. The width is 6 cm and the depth 8.5 cm. Total weight: 0.421 kg. The dimensions of the skull sculpture alone are 9.5 x 8.5 x 6 cm. The object (sculpture with pedestal) will be shipped to the buyer immediately with a Track & Trace shipment, very well packaged to prevent any damage during transit.

Stima:€1

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