Back to list Ji halbert of Marquis, Early to Mid Western Zhou Dynasty, c. 11th to 9th century B.C.E.

Description

This fused ji halbert was crafted from a single molding that combines a ge dagger and a mao spear. The blade of the ge dagger has a ridge with three straight flanges, and a round lashing hole can be seen at the rear end of the blade. The top edge of the blade extends upward to form the mao spear, while the lower edge of the blade extends downward to form the descending edge of the ge dagger. This Ji halbert of Marquis in the National Palace Museum collections was originally from the collections of Rong Geng, and the Songzhai jijin lu (Record of Auspicious Bronzes from the Song Zhai) notes that the work was said to have been unearthed in Junxian. A Ji halbert of Marquis has also been unearthed at Tomb No. 2 in Xin Village of Junxian, with an identical inscription and similar form to this work. This ji halbert was crafted from thin, light material, and therefore may not have been used as an actual weapon of war.  

Exhibits

• Rituals Cast in Brilliance: Masterpieces of Bronzes in the Museum Collection Ongoing exhibition