The ancient Chinese world was awash in bronze, but it was a marble frog that sold for US$3.7 million
- Bronze was a crucial part of the Shang dynasty, but jade, bone and marble artworks were important to the ancient society
- Academics still debate whether the frog was a symbol of fertility or prosperity
While recent discoveries have complicated the early history of China, solid evidence still points to Chinese civilisation beginning during the Shang dynasty (1600BC-1046BC) along the Yellow River.
The civilisation mastered the process of “piece mould casting”, which is basically creating a clay mould, pouring in molten bronze, revealing the shape after it cools and then adding handles as the final step. The level of detail is remarkable, exemplifying the mastery the Shang people had developed.
They were probably made to hold food and drinks, often wine, for ritual sacrifices. They were also a key indicator of social status. For example, large bronze vessels that have been excavated were likely only made for kings or high royalty, as nobody else in those ancient societies had the resources to pay for the manufacturing.
While indeed interesting, archaeologists have found thousands of pounds of bronze wares. Marble, on the other hand, is far rarer.
The scarcity of Shang dynasty marble ceremonial artworks may help explain why a carved marble frog that would be a lovely table centrepiece sold for HK$28.8 million (US$3.7 million) in a Sotheby’s auction that closed in early October.
Two other similar-looking marble-sculpted frogs, known worldwide, are believed to have been made during the middle of the Shang period. Several other stone carvings in private collections, such as a bear and a cicada, are considered rare artefacts.
A collection of marble animals are also held by the Institute of History and Philology at the Academia Sinica in Taipei.
The marble objects were probably used for ceremonial purposes, as other similar objects made of jade played a key role during Shang rituals. A new study published in Cambridge University Press this week proved that ancient Shang people burned jade objects as part of ritual ceremonies.
The choice of transforming the marble into a frog is no accident, as depictions of animals were an important part of Shang culture, believing they provided a bridge to connect with their ancestors, according to a report on The Value, an online platform, about the marble frog.
The report said that the academics are not convinced about what the frog means, with some suggesting it was a symbol of fertility, while others think it was probably a good luck symbol wishing prosperity.
The marble frog, sold at Sotheby’s, also significantly outstripped its estimated sale, which the auction house had expected to fetch HK$3-4 million (US$382,000 – US$510,000). The closed sale of HK$28.8 million became the buzz of the auction thanks to the difference between expectations and reality.
