A large limestone Zhulong (Pig Dragon), Hongshan culture, North-East China, 3500-3000BC, of generous proportions, the iconic coiled body further accentuated with a superbly rendered wrinkled snout, the signature slit below the sealed lips...

A large limestone Zhulong (Pig Dragon), Hongshan culture, North-East China, 3500-3000BC, of generous proportions, the iconic coiled body further accentuated with a superbly rendered wrinkled snout, the signature slit below the sealed lips terminated before meeting the central perforation, the neck drilled for suspension, on a metal plinth, 19.5cm. high Provenance: Private Collection Oliver Hoare (1945-2018) Published: Every Object Tells a Story, 4 May - 5 July 2017, no. 14 Notable for its large size, this carving depicts a zhulong, or pig-dragon, a modern term that describes the animal’s upturned snout, prominent bulging eyes and coiled body. Considered to represent the prototype of depictions of mythological dragons in later Chinese art, zhulong are some of the most interesting creations of the enigmatic Hongshan culture (c. 3500 BC), and evidence the existence of a complex system of belief in supernatural forces.
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