1-234-079 - The Museum of East Asian Art/Heritage Images

Jade finial with geese amid lotus with hawk attacking, Liao, Jin or Yuan dynasty, China, 11th-13th century. A white lychee-flesh jade finial depicting two geese in flight among lotus, a small hawk is attacking the head of one goose. The base has two pairs of holes for attachment probably to a hat. The hawk attacking a goose is a well known motif in North China and Mongolia from Liao to Yuan and was considered emblematic of Spring during these dynasties.