China, Liao dynasty, (907-1125) - Lot 35

China, Liao dynasty, (907-1125) Necklace (reconstituted) composed of twenty-five cylindrical agate (carnelian) beads, eighteen rock crystal beads, and eight 18k yellow gold openwork beads (each made of twelve granulated loops forming a sphere). L. 76 cm - Gross weight: 174 gr This particular form of gold bead is typical of the Liao. They are to be compared with those illustrated in Adornment for the Body and Soul, Ancient Chinese Ornaments from the Mengdiexuan Collection, Emma C. Bunker and Julia M. White with Jenny F. So (Hong Kong, the University of Hong Kong Museum Society, 1999), p. 237, pl. 104. Comparable examples can be found in Simon Kwan, Sun Ji, Zhongguo gudai jinshi: Chinese gold ornaments, Hong Kong, Muwentang meishu chubanshe, 2003: alone, p.366-67, no. 217, and also in combination with long cylindrical agate beads, p.364- 65, no. 214 and 215. The combination of gold, agate and rock-crystal beads on Liao necklaces is well known: a necklace (85 cm long) combining them was found during excavations in the tomb dating from 942 (at the latest) of Yelu Yuzhi in Chifeng, preserved at the Archaeological Institute of Inner Mongolia, and illustrated in Gold and Glory: the wonders of Khitan from the Inner Mongolian Museum collection, Taipei, Guoli gugong bowuyuan, 2010, p. 110-111. As on our necklace, agate beads have this cylindrical shape, while rock crystal (quartz) beads are small and round.