Dragon-Form Pendant

The era of the Warring States was a time of great change in the utilization of jade in China. Jade went from being plainly carved to having elaborate, imaginative designs. It changed from primarily serving as tomb goods to being accessories for noblemen, in the form of plaques, belt hooks, hair ornaments, jewelry and most importantly—sword fittings. Advancement in drilling technology enabled the jade carver to express themselves artistically. Warring States jade comes in many colors, including beige, brown, olive, celadon and ivory, but it is always nephrite. Popular designs focused on animals, real and mythical, dragons, tigers and birds were especially favored.