OC 019 · Carving · Asia

A small jade water buffalo

A small pale green jade carving of a water buffalo lying down, its head forward
Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via The Met Open Access.
Number on this site
OC 019
What it is
Carving
Made
13th to 11th century BC
Period
Shang dynasty
Material
Jade (nephrite)
Size
6.5 cm long
Now held by
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Museum number
1976.297.2

A water buffalo lying down, carved in jade small enough to close a hand around.1

Where it sits in human time

Made about 3,200 years ago. On this strip, each step to the right is ten times closer to today.

300,000 years ago10,0003,0001,000100nowA small jade water buffalo

Seen in

Filed under

Sources for this page

Every number on this page comes from one of these. How we check.

Last reviewed 12 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

  1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Water buffalo. Jade (nephrite). Shang dynasty, 13th–11th century BCE. Collection record 44778, Open Access (CC0). www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/44778Used for: A small jade water buffalo, 6.5 cm long. Checked 12 November 2026.