A GREEN AND BROWN JADE CARVING OF A PIGHan DynastyCarved as a recumbent pig with strong slanting grooves delineating the body features, the stone of a moss-green tone with dark russet inclusions, stand and box.10.4cm (4 1/8in) long (3).Provenance: 漢 青玉握豬A number of jade pig carvings in pairs were unearthed in tombs dated to the Han dynasty.pare with two pairs excavated in Jiangsu Province, Western Han dynasty, which are illustrated by Gu Fang inTheplete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China: Jiangsu and Shanghai, Beijing, 2005, pp.140-141;pare also with two other similar jade pigs, Eastern Han dynasty, unearthed in Shannxi Province,ibid., vol.14, pp.168-169; a third pair of similar jade pigs, Han dynasty, were sold at Hong Kong, 5 April 2016, lot 31.手中握物的葬俗最晚始於新石器時代，到了商周，玉握開始逐漸取代牙質握，豬在漢代被視為財富象徵，由此出現了玉豬握，且玉又比其他材質高級。尾部小穿用於穿線將玉豬固定在逝者手中，防止脫落。漢代墓葬出土玉豬甚夥，可比較兩對出土於江蘇的西漢玉豬，見古方編，《中國出土玉器全集7·江蘇上海卷》，北京，2005年，頁140及141；另外有兩對東漢玉豬出土於陝西亦可比較之，見古方編，《中國出土玉器全集14·陝西卷》，北京，2005年，頁168及169。還可比較思源堂舊藏一對漢代玉豬握，2016年4月5日售於香港邦瀚斯，拍品31。