I guess nobody can call me out or criticize me for showing something I think is really, really cool and having no opinion. And, if so, have fun.

I was just writing my blog and the chapter is entitled "Cabinent of Curiosities" and it included this item ... Something you don't see every day ... for sure.

Let me tell you about it.

Perhaps thirty years ago, I was gifted a piece of Chinese burial jade that is six-inches long and three-inches wide; a surgical cutting tool used by a Chinese doctor (or doctors) well over one-thousand years ago.

The piece is nephrite jade ... I tested it and I'm a Graduate Gemologist, so no opinion there; just fact.

On the "head" of it, there's either a dragon or a foo dog. The body is carved "en cameo" (raised figures) with Chinese characters on one side in the "old language" (noted scholar Dr. Chi Woo Chang looked at it and that's what he told me). The reverse side features a spreading figure, a stylized animal or even a human face ... your guess is as good as any.

The nephrite was a mutton fat color, but the many of years of being buried with a human body have turned it a gorgeous dark brown color. It's cool to the max.

Here are photos; I believe some of you will be fascinated.

May God Bless All and Merry Christmas

Steve

Steve, that is neat, thanks for sharing!

Nice! Always look forward to your stories, you know which one is my favorite.

Just curious as to how the edge held up over all that time? Would that have been ground as opposed to flaked off like obsidian?

Cool as Hell!!!!! Thanks!!!

Can you imagine getting an appendectomy with that thing before anesthesia was invented - "Here, bite down on this stick.... It's going to sting for a few minutes..."

Any chance DNA could be lifted from it?

That's very cool! Any idea how old?

It's good to see you posting and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

That is very unique! Thanks for sharing!

That's awesome! And I KNEW the Chinese used the standard system.

Happy Thanksgiving Steve.



Travis

Steve,

THANK YOU, for sharing that.

It is GOOD to see you well and see you back.

AMEN.

Have a blessed Christmas friend.

Thank you for posting today Steve. Good to hear from you.

Steve, that is cool as hell. Thanks for posting.

Steve, that almost looks like a hatchet - very cool!

Nice hearing from you again. How's Karen doing?

My prayers go with you both.

VERY interesting!

What a treasure. Thanks for sharing with us Steve.

Ho Li Wow!

That is a treasure sir, thanks for sharing!

Dan

That's cool Steve, I mean really Cool.

That rates a Two-Cool!

Pretty cool.

It'd be way cool to know what it was all used for in it's lifetime.

Awesome!! I like to behold and know the history behind historical objects. Thanks for sharing. And good to see you positng!!

Very nice

I too am glad to hear from you and wish you all the best

DZ
Thanks for sharing a very beautiful and interesting artifact.
Blessings to you and your entire family.

Steve,

Thanks for sharing. We always enjoy your written offerings, here, as well as on your blog. I got a kick out of your special Thanksgiving with Chub Eastman. You are a good storyteller.

Merry Christmas, Steve and wishing the Lord's blessings on you and yours. Nice to see you posting, my friend! Cool stuff, too!

Wow... And yeah, it does look like a hatchet..

Wonder if a museum would be interested in that item?

Very neat!

Steve, you are right, that is cool!

Excellent - very cool treasure - thanks for posting this. Hope that you have a wonderful Christmas.

Steve Thanks for sharing this, it is pretty Neat!

Greatness right there. Thanks.

And here's the REST OF THE STORY

Three 24HCF members PMed me and they all had the same information.

The nephrite jade object is a ceremonial axe blade or axe head. One of the guys opined that the age was 2,000 to 3,000 years, based on the "old language" characters and the style.

So I went online and Googled "Images Jade Ceremonial Axe" and came up with a zillon photos that were amazingly cool.

Indeed, the piece is a jade ceremonial axe ...

It's great to know what it is. Thanks to those who responded.

And thanks to all of you who joined in this wonderful and civil conversation.

God Bless All of You and Merry Christmas

Steve


PS. To those of you who asked about Karen. She's doing pretty well. We've planned one last Catholic pilgrimage this coming spring ... Portugal (Fatima), Spain (Santiago de Compostela) and France (Lourdes).

She's up for a shoulder joint replacement and she's in a great deal of pain right now. Her response is, "Well, I'm not gonna die from a bum shoulder, so let's do this last pilgrimage."

True hunter spirit!!!!!

God Bless. S

FANTASTIC Steve, and yes she is one brave gal.

God Bless and keep you both.

Way cool! Good to hear from you guys...

Thanks for sharing this. Merry Christmas to you and Karen.