The upper layer of this piece has become “calcified” with age, and the base jade itself is regularly speckled. Carved into a circle, this piece depicts a dragon biting its own tail. With long, thin eyes, a lion esque nose, a single horn at its forehead, and its bent, ready limbs, the dragon is full of the fear inspiring awe for which its kind is known. With its bigger lines stressing curve and tension, and the smaller lines giving a sense of dancing threads of gossamer, the artistry that went into this Han Dynasty piece is unquestionably high.

D: 6.8 cm