A large Chinese jade ritual axe with inscription, probably Hongshan cultureLarge ceremonial axe made of dark green jade. The cutting edge consisting of two straight edges of equal length. On the stepped neck two figures: The head of a dragon touching with its snout a highly abstracted figure consisting of a centrally pierced triangle and a centrally pierced circle. On the obverse of the blade a column with five characters. The first characters, which have not yet been deciphered, are repeatedly found on objects from the Hongshan culture. Intact. No cracks. Length 34 cm. Width 16 cm. Weight 2.25 kg. Provenance: West German private collection GuMF, Rhine-Main area. Acquired in 1973 in Singapore from the collection of a Chinese archaeologist.Condition: II