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Neolithic jade pendant depicts eagle grasping human face
Updated: Jun 17, 2025
govt.chinadaily.com.cn
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This artifact from the Neolithic Longshan Culture features a front-facing eagle with outstretched wings, its talons grasping a human face, beneath which is a beast mask. Crafted from green jade using both incised and openwork carving techniques, it's believed to have symbolized the might of the eagle — used by the Longshan people of Shandong as a clan totem to intimidate rivals.
A rare treasure of early jade craftsmanship and a vivid trace of the bird totem worship of the Dongyi tribes in Shandong, this jade pendant is now housed in Tianjin Museum.
