It's hard to imagine that this jade object was carved 2000 years ago. The polish is still just as shiny as when it was made. It is a sword chape which decorated the tip of a lacquered sword scabbard (see last photos). It is made of a translucent greenish yellow jade which has been permeated by the iron of the sword, visible as darker clouds in the material. When held against the light, it is like looking into water with coral formations. This stunning piece dates from the Warring States (475 - 221BCE) to the Western Han (206BCE - 25CE) periods and was acquired in Hong Kong in 1994. Width 5.2 cm. Height 2.7 cm. Depth 1.3 cm. Weight 29.0 grams.