Limestone Antiquities
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Material: Limestone
Apsara Carved Limestone Stele with Extremely Rare 'Oolitic silica', Wei Dynasty
Located in seoul, KR
The small dots apparent on the surface of this stone stele are indicative of an oolitic silica structure or oolites formed in what is known as "Oolitic chert." This formation occurs gradually over the course of thousands to several hundred thousand years within the soil or sea. Similar structures are commonly found in ancient fossils or arrowheads. Ancient peoples chose certain types of stones for tool-making, preferring materials that were easier to work with and could be sharpened effectively. This predilection is believed to be the reason why oolitic silica structures are frequently found in ancient arrowheads.
The development of these oolitic silica structures is a very slow process involving the accumulation of siliceous layers around particulates. This phenomenon, where silica reacts with water to form layers around a nucleus, occurs under specific chemical and physical conditions. Typically, it takes thousands to hundreds of thousands of years for silica to gradually accumulate in layers through contact with moisture, a process that requires a precise harmony of many variables, including chemical conditions, temperature, pressure, pH, and biological activity.
It is known that no other stele with such a silica structure has been identified to date, serving not only as evidence of its authenticity but also significantly enhancing the rarity of this piece.
This stele appears to be a stone sculpture of an apsara, a celestial nymph from Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Despite its fragmentary state, the sculpture conveys grace and movement. The apsara is captured in a dynamic pose, perhaps once part of a larger tableau, playing a flute-like instrument.
Date : Northern Wei/Eastern Wei Dynasty(386~550)
Size : 22cm (Height) x 16cm(diameter)
Condition : Good (oolites dots on surface)
Provenance : Acquired in late 1990s from Hongkong
Reference :
1) Sotheby's New York 20 March 2018 - Jingyatang Treasures Of Chinese Buddhist...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Chinese Han Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Stone, Limestone
Celestial being(Apsara) Stone Statue, Northern Wei-Tang Dynasty
Located in seoul, KR
This statue appears to be a stone sculpture of an apsara, a celestial nymph from Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Despite its fragmentary state, the sculpture conveys grace and movemen...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Chinese Tang Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Stone, Limestone
Heavenly Beings Carved Limestone Stele Fragment, Northern/Eastern Wei Dynasty
Located in seoul, KR
Flying two heavenly beings depicted in the stone. They are celestial beings called an Apsara. While having the same fragment and shape, another work I uploaded exhibits small dots on...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Chinese Han Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
19th Century Chinese Carved Limestone Statue
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 18-19th Century Chinese carved limestone sculpture, depicting a horse drawn carriage going over a bridge, being accompanies by serva...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
Ancient China Monumental Stone Ram Han Dynasty, 206BC-220AD
Located in South Burlington, VT
China, a large votive model of a stone ram, Han dynasty (206BC-220AD)
Dimensions: 45cm, 18 inches high and 65cm, 26 inches length and 25cm, 10 inches wi...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Chinese Han Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
Important Ancient Chinese Effigy Pug Dog, Ming Dynasty 1368-1644
Located in South Burlington, VT
China, a carving of a canine “Pug”, Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644 CE
Dimensions: 38 cm, 15” High
Photographs taken indoors and out of doors for your viewing pleasure.
The hand carved limestone beast shown on its haunches with naturalistic joyful expression and a well defined compact head, ears, noes, eyes, feet, and tail parted to one side on reverse with distinctive collar ornament seated four square on a thick base all-over showing a weathered surface from significant age.
Formerly exhibited “Asia Week” New York City, Fuller Building, Hutton Gallery 2006.
Provenance: ex collection luoyang, Henan Province, China.
Includes custom display base as shown
Catalog reference: 35 years collecting 35 treasures, Number 35, p.76 (photo)
In ancient China, it is a well-known fact that several types of small dogs were bred and were favored pet gifts between emperors and kings including Lion Dogs, Pekingese and Lo-sze breeds. Some Lo-sze are pictured wearing collars with bells a frequent combination fancied by European royalty of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Lo-sze or pugs were prized for their compact body, good bones, flat face, square jaw, short coat, curled tail, side set back ears, and temperate disposition.
History:
Placing stone animals in important tombs can be traced back at least to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), some two thousand years ago. In ancient times, stone animals and human figures placed before imperial tombs symbolized royal power and privilege in addition to decorative functions.
The first Ming tomb...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Chinese Ming Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
China Ancient Stone Entertainer, Han Dynasty 200 AD
Located in South Burlington, VT
China an ancient limestone figure of an Entertainer replete with hands holding tambourines and a top a drum, -for the afterlife- , Han dynasty 206 BC...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Chinese Han Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
Chinese Stone Tabletop Altar, c. 1600
Located in Chicago, IL
This tabletop altar with scrolled edges, a scalloped apron, and turned legs from China's Shanxi province is a rare find. We conservatively estimate it to be late Ming dynasty (circa ...
Category
Early 17th Century Chinese Ming Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
Roman relief of Medusa and Hercules knot
Located in EL CAMPELLO, ES
ITEM: Relief of Medusa and Hercules knot
MATERIAL: Limestone
CULTURE: Roman
PERIOD: 2nd – 3rd Century A.D
DIMENSIONS: 465 mm x 362 mm x 103 mm (without stand)
CONDITION: Good conditi...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Roman Antique Limestone Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
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Roman Funerary Bust of Man
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CONDITION: Good condition
PROVENANCE: Ex American private collection, David Hendin. Ex Shraga Qedar, Jerusalem (1988)
PARALLEL: THE ISRAEL MUSEUM, JERUSALEM, Accession number: 69.20.581, 69.20.584, 69.20.583
Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export license (If you live outside the European Union, We will have to apply for an export licence for your country and shipping will take 3 to 5 weeks.)
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