A tortoise sculpture featuring a large, dome-shaped shell, with four outstretched legs, a tail, and a head. The jade has aged to a deep dark green. A rigid beak with nostrils juts forward, while the shell appears streamlined due to its predominantly flat, circular form. The reptile’s claws are meticulously articulated, and the limbs are positioned akin to a dog paddling through water. The underside of the sculpture is divided into five distinct sections. Tortoise-shaped jade sculptures from Hongshan culture are often found either in pairs or as single pieces. A comparable example was unearthed from Tomb No. 1 at the Hutou Ditch graveyard in Fuxin County, Liaoning Province.
