Arkivism
Ceremonial Tube (Cong)
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Ceremonial Tube (Cong)

c. 1600–1056 BCE · jade (nephrite)

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

The cong, a cylindrical tube with a square outer section, was one of the most impressive jade implements used in ancient rites. The ritual text Rites of Zhou mentions the use of the cong for the worship of the earth. However, its function and meaning in the earlier Neolithic societies are not completely understood.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineCeremonial Tube (Cong) (玉琮), c. 1600–1056 BCE. China, Shang dynasty (c. 1600–c. 1046 BCE). Jade (nephrite); overall: 20.6 cm (8 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust, 1915.630
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