East Asia, China, Zhou Dynasty, ca. 1046 to 256 BCE. A rare example of a Zhou Dynasty cong carved from solid marble exhibiting creamy hues of white, cream, brown, and gray. The lengthy edges of the columnar implement feature incised stacks of 5 Tao Tie masks, characteristically abstract in form, each with enormous eyes and a bar-shaped mouth, all presented using dense and elaborate curvilinear decorations. Through the center of the funerary stone is a gaping hole drilled from both ends with a slightly offset meeting place. Congs were widely used in funerary rites during the Neolithic era but fell out of favor during the late Shang Dynasty and into the Zhou Dynasty. Size: 3.5" L x 3.3" W x 7.9" H (8.9 cm x 8.4 cm x 20.1 cm)

The funerary function of congs like this example probably had a religious connotation. Some scholars of Chinese Neolithic history and anthropology posit that the cong is "based on the ancient Chinese notion that earth was square and heaven round, while the hole in the object represents the passage connecting heaven and earth." (Weichao, Yu. "A Journey into China's Antiquity - Volume 1: Palaeolithic Age - Spring and Autumn Period." National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing, China, 1997, p. 80)

Provenance: ex-Dania Beach, Florida, USA collection with old collection label inside.

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#179351

Small chips to Tao Tie masks along some edges, with light abrasions and nicks to rims and within interior, and softening to some incised decorations, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to most Tao Tie masks, and nice surface smoothness throughout. Previous inventory tag inside of interior cavity.