A jade collared bi disc of circular form. The disc is quite flat on one side with a large circular aperture which is relatively thick around the centre. The stone is of a creamy colour with inclusions of russet, grey, and orange, as well as areas of calcification.
China, Neolithic period: Circa 4000-3000 BC.
Very Fine condition
Diameter 15.8 cms (6.2 ins): Thickness around the centre 2.2 cms (0.9 ins).
Provenance: From the collection of Paolo Bertuzzi. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was a fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother's business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than 60 years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art.
Such discs are thought to have been used in ceremonial or ritual contexts, possibly by shamans or religious leaders. Some historians believe the bi disc represents heaven or the cosmos, with the hole in the centre symbolizing the central axis of the universe. These discs have been found in the burials of high-status individuals, suggesting their importance in ancient Chinese society.