Chinese Bi Discs - The Real 'Dropa' Stones

The Ancients
Chinese Neolithic Jade Bi Discs
The Real 'Dropa' Stones

Bi Disc, Xia Dynasty (2100-1600BC)
..

China, Gansu Province, Xia Peoples. large Jade stone "Bi" Disc, Xia Dynasty (2100-1600BC), 11.5" d x .375" thick, beautiful blue jade stone with cream colored encrustation, rare heavenly ritual object

Ancient Chinese Jade "Bi Discs" were flat round pieces in the shape of a disc with a central hole. They were used as ritual implements in sacrificial ceremonies. In the earliest dynasties (Liangzhu to Xia), it was originally used as a ritual vessel to offer sacrifices to the god(s) of the heavens, but gradually lost it's ritual function in later dynasties. It became more decorative with finely incised designs on the disk in the Han and later periods.

SOURCE: www.artscraftsgal.com/

Bi Disc China, Liangzhu period, 3rd Millenium BC
..

Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt (Germany)
Photographer:user:Dr. Meierhofer
Date: 15.08.2006

SOURCE: commons.wikimedia.org/

Bi Disc over 3,000 Years Old
..

A jade bi disc over 3,000 years old. The function and meaning of these mysterious discs are unknown. Jade was believed to confer immortality, and they are often found laid on or next to bodies in ancient Chinese burials. This one has an inscription by an 18th-century emperor, wrongly identifying it as a cup holder
Photograph: ©The Trustees of the British Museum

SOURCE: www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery

Related Links:

The Shanghaiese of 4000 Years Ago-the Liangzhu Culture

Liangzhu Jade Bi Disc
..

The earliest jade Bi discs appeared in the Hongshan Culture in west Liaoning province. In the Taihu Lake area, however, it was excavated in a Songze tomb at the Fuquanshan Site, Shanghai. Due to close connections between Shanghai and areas of north China in ancient times, a Dawenkou painted pottery flask was also found in a major Liangzhu tomb at the Fuquanshan Site. Would it be possible that jade Bi was originally a imported object since Fuquanshan was a port at that time?

SOURCE: The Shanghaiese of 4000 Years Ago-the Liangzhu Culture

Chinese Neolithic Jade Bi Discs
..

Circular bi discs found in neolithic burial sites in China, circa 3000 B.C.E. The jade objects represent Heaven and in ritual were laid along limbs of the deceased. Set of four in shades of cream brown, gray, and ochre. Disk sizes: 7 1/2", 9 3/4", 11", 11 1/2". All in excellent condition.

SOURCE: www.griffingallery.net/

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Pegasus Research Consortium distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

~ MENU ~