A Study Of The Pre-Qin Serrated Teeth

There is a raised tooth-like decoration on pre-Qin jade,mostly symmetrically distributed,which is generally referred to in scholarship as a ’serrated teeth’(also referred to as casement ribs,casement teeth,ridge teeth).This type of decoration was first seen in the Late Neolithic period and is also found on jade from the Xia,Shang,and Zhou Dynasties,making it an important form of decoration on pre-Qin jade.This thesis analyses a total of 761 pre-Qin decorated teeth objects by collecting 610 objects with published excavation information(or with clear collection sites),plus 151 objects from domestic and international collections,and discusses the nomenclature,definition,provenance,evolution,transmission across materials,and regional cultural interactions embodied in the serrated teeth.Based on the three characteristics of symmetrical distribution,tooth-like shape and vertical protrusion from the surface of the vessel,this thesis defines a tooth-like ornament that protrudes vertically from the rim of a jade vessel and is symmetrically distributed.Firstly,the material was sorted out and summarised in chronological order,with the Neolithic,Xia,Shang,Western and Eastern Zhou dynasties being sorted out according to the archaeological culture and vessel type to which they belonged,and the distribution and characteristics of each period.Secondly,in the study of the origin of the teeth,a comparison of features and the study of inheritance has ruled out the possibility that the similarly dentate ornaments of the Gaomiao,Hongshan and Lingjiatan cultures were the source of the teeth.Through the analysis of the vertical dentition on notched discs,it is concluded that the serrated teeth originated from the Dawenkou culture and were inherited and developed in the Longshan culture of Shandong.Another discussion of the early development of the Longshan-era serrated teeth suggests that the "jie" shaped teeth are derived from the "jie" shaped crowns of the Liangzhu culture.Its early shape is mostly close to the "jie" shape(),with some close to the "convex" shape();the single-toothed tooth appears in a new form on the Longshan culture jade zhang in Shandong-a near-square protruding tooth.It is also thought that the tooth appears to have spread across vessel types in the Longshan period,with its shape broadly divided into four types: "jie","︼",dentate,and jagged.Again,in terms of the evolution of the serrated teeth,on the one hand,a typological study has been carried out on the serrated teeth,which are divided into three categories,namely,jagged teeth,toothed teeth and "jie" teeth,toothed teeth according to the number of teeth and the degree of arrangement of the tightness of a total of three types,"jie" teeth are divided into five types according to the number and shape of the middle and end teeth.On the other hand,the evolution of the shape of the teeth and the evolution of the decorative pattern were studied,and it was concluded that single,double,continuous and "jie" shaped teeth appeared in the late Neolithic period,and that different shapes evolved during the Xia,Shang and Zhou periods,while the decorative pattern evolved into two types of fused and independent decorative patterns.Finally,the evolution of the carriers of the teeth is discussed,with the Neolithic decorated with jade qi,jade zhang,notched disc,jade huang and animal-shaped jade pendant,and the emergence of new forms such as jade ge,jade dao and jade jue during the Xia,Shang and Zhou dynasties.In terms of the secondary,cross-material transmission of the serrated teeth,the shape of the serrated ribs on Shang bronze wares and the pattern of internal hook-like and fused decoration that occurs on bone,tooth and mussel wares may have been derived from jade serrated teeth.Finally,the aspect of regional cultural interaction seen in the serrated teeth is discussed in four sections.In terms of inheritance: from the Neolithic to the Xia,Shang and Zhou dynasties,the decoration of serrated teeth on jade vessels,although containing the characteristics of their respective periods,clearly shows a lineage of continuity,reflecting the inheritance of early art.In terms of interaction: in the Longshan period,the serrated teeth first appeared in the Longshan culture of Shandong and influenced the formation of serrated teeth in regional cultures such as the Shimao,Taosi,Qijia and Houshijiahe cultures in cultural interaction;the Erlitou culture extensively inherited the characteristics of serrated teeth from different regions and had an important influence on the modelling of serrated teeth in the Shang and Zhou periods.In terms of the nature of the serrated teeth: from religious and practical to sacred symbols,and then to symbols of kingship during the Erlitou culture,gradually becoming purely decorative during the Shang and Zhou periods.In terms of civilizational processes: from the initial production in the Hai Dai region to its acceptance and use by multiple regional cultures during the Longshan period,the serrated teeth shows frequent cultural exchanges between regional cultures and the emergence of a common cultural mentality.The inheritance and widespread influence of the Erlitou culture(e.g.the Sanxingdui)on the serrated teeth bases reflects the formation of a ’pluralistic’ civilisation.