Archer's ring (jue)

Archery was of considerable importance both in warfare and as a ritual activity during the Eastern Zhou period. Archery contests were a feature of court life and are often depicted in pictorial arts of the period. Thus it is not surprising to find archery paraphernalia in the finest materials such as jade. Thumb rings ( jue), like this example, were used to protect the thumb during the draw and release of the bow string.

During the Han dynasty, the ring became the basis for a form of a purely ornamental jade pendant. Also called jue, these pendants far outnumber functional pieces . However, the piece under discussion here is quite functional and is an indication of the continued importance of ceremonial archery during this period. The functional nature of this example is quite clear with the overall shape designed to fit onto the lower part of the thumb and the small projection serving to capture and hold the bow string. In contrast to the increasingly ornate jue-shaped pendants, it has no surface decoration.

This ring is cut from low quality Khotan jade. The color ranges from tan to dark brown, with many cloudy areas. There is almost no translucence, and the polish is matte. This might be explained by the fact that this is a functional piece rather than a piece of personal adornment and, therefore, different criteria were used in judging the material.