商周时期玉鱼浅析

The Jade Fish of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties

商周时期玉鱼的数量众多,按型制大致可分为直身、弧身和拱身,按功用则可分为装饰类、丧葬类和工具类。结合出土情景分析可以发现,丧葬类玉鱼在形制上较为随意,而作装饰与工具来使用的玉鱼则有一定规律可循。作头饰的多为直身型玉鱼,而作项饰及佩件的则多为弧身型玉鱼。工具类玉鱼主要用作刻刀、觹及耳勺,作刻刀与玉觹的为直身和弧身型玉鱼,作耳勺的仅见直身型玉鱼。

Large numbers of jade fish dating to the Shang and Zhou dynasties have been unearthed.They are of either a straight body,or a curved one,or an arched one,and were used as decorative ornaments,burial objects or tools.An examination on these jade fish considering their unearthing contexts indicate that in terms of forms those that were used as burial objects are more random while those used as decoration and tools have certain rules to follow.The jade fish used as head accessories are mainly with a straight body,and those as necklaces and pendants are often curved.The jade fish of the tool category were mainly used as graver,xi(tools to unopen the knot),and ear scoop.Those used as gravers and xi are either straight or curve bodied while those as ear scoop are all with a straight body.