White jade ‘Dragon’ seal, Western Han dynasty

Light-coloured jade with subtle ochre and reddish flecks. The base has a trapezoidal structure, decorated with scrolls and incised circles, and narrows towards a small square base where there is a seal with four characters in bas-relief. Crowning the piece is a small dragon with an elongated, sinuous body, its legs bent, its tail curled up and its head turned towards its back. The expression is fierce, with sharp fangs and large, piercing eyes. Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8) or later.

Size: 5.3 x 1.9 x 5.6 cm

Weight: 76 g