蛙曾是上古時期非常流行的一種裝飾紋樣，從仰韶到半坡再到馬家窯，蛙類裝飾紋樣越來越多，越來越生動靈活。
目前已知的最早的蛙形玉器出現於新石器時代的良渚文化時期，在新石器時代晚期的齊家文化、商晚期的婦好墓以及戰國時期的河北平山三汲中山王大墓都出土有蛙型玉器。
Frogs were once a very popular decorative pattern in the Ancient Period. From Yangshao to Bianpo to Majiayao, frog decorative patterns became more and more vivid and flexible.
The earliest known frog-shaped jade artefacts appeared in the Liangzhu culture of the Neolithic period, and frog-shaped jade artefacts were unearthed in the Qijia culture of the late Neolithic period, the Huhao Tomb of the late Shang dynasty, and the Tomb of the King of Zhongshan at Sanjie in Pingshan, Hebei province, during the Warring States period.
蛙形墨玉獸（中山王）
中山王厝墓出土，現藏河北博物院。出土共17件。小獸頭部較扁，鼻和眉橫竪相接，鼻子較寬，眼睛細長。身體象蛙，但有尾，上曲的尾巴緊貼臀部，按形狀可分為兩種：其中一種有8件，玉色較勻淨，雕琢較精細，形體挺拔，頭頸稍長，四肢著地。另一種有9件，玉色黑白相雜，體形較胖，下垂的腹部與足部相平。小獸昂首蹲伏，憨態可掬，十分生動。長1.9—2.1釐米，寬1.3—1.6釐米，高1.1—1.2釐米。
中山王厝墓出土的這套玉雕雕工精細，請注意尺寸，這是一套精細的微雕玉器，是戰國時期微雕玉器的代表性器物之一，反映出戰國中山國精湛的手工工藝。
Unearthed from the tomb of Wang Chu in Zhongshan, now in the Hebei Museum. Seventeen pieces were excavated. The head of the small animal is relatively flat, with a wide nose and long, narrow eyes, which are connected horizontally and horizontally by the eyebrows. The body resembles that of a frog, but with a tail that curves upwards to fit snugly around the hips. There are two types of beasts according to their shape: eight of one type, with a cleaner jade colour and finer carving, and an upright body with a slightly longer head and neck, and with all four limbs resting on the ground. The other, of which there are nine, is of mixed black and white colour and is fatter, with a drooping belly that is level with the feet. The small animal is crouching with its head held high in a naive and animated manner. It is 1.9-2.1 centimetres long, 1.3-1.6 centimetres wide, and 1.1-1.2 centimetres high.
This set of jade carvings unearthed from the tomb of Wang Chu in Zhongshan is meticulously carved, please note the size, this is a set of fine micro-carved jade wares, one of the representative wares of micro-carved jade wares of the Warring States period, which reflects the exquisite handcraftsmanship of the Zhongshan state in the Warring States period.
中山王墓 墨玉蛙
除玉器之外，三星堆與金沙遺址、商晚期遺址都曾出土過其他材質的蛙形器物。
故宮博物院 馬家窯蛙紋罐
馬家窯文化彩陶蛙紋壺】
新00082413
彩陶蛙紋壺，新石器時代馬家窯文化馬廠類型，高42釐米，口徑13.1釐米。 壺泥質紅陶，口外侈，薄唇，球形腹，小平底，腹部兩側對稱置雙系。於橙紅色陶衣上以黑彩描繪變形蛙紋。圖案線條流暢，富於變化，與造型協調一致。據科學測試，馬家窯文化馬廠類型彩陶的年代約為公元前2200～前2000年。
變形蛙紋作為馬家窯文化馬廠類型彩陶上常見的裝飾紋樣之一，體現了遠古人們對於繁衍生殖的渴望。青蛙產下許多卵，孵出許多蝌蚪，正是繁衍旺盛的象徵。
良渚文化玉蛙
新石器時期。1977年出土於江蘇省吳縣張陵山良渚文化遺址，現藏南京博物院。玉蛙長4.8釐米，寬3.2釐米，厚0.2到0.7釐米之間。玉蛙的形態為一個匍匐形的青蛙形象，質地為黃綠色，玉質純淨透亮，局部帶有褐色斑紋。
玉蛙用一塊玉石的邊皮料打磨而成，一面保留原始切割面，另一面陰刻有細線，並磨出動物的腿和尾，以塑造一個曲肢匍匐的青蛙形象。玉蛙的頭部和前部較薄，後部較厚，塑造成跳躍的感覺。
婦好墓玉蛙
商武丁時期。1976年河南安陽婦好墓出土，現藏中國國家博物館。
長7.3釐米、寬5.4釐米、厚0.6釐米 此器為片雕，左右對稱。蛙伏臥，前肢外伸，後肢內屈。寬頭、方目、肥身、短尾。背部以雙線刻對稱雲紋，雙目間有一圓孔，可系佩。
三星堆博物館，蛙形金飾片。蛙形飾長6.96釐米，寬6釐米，厚0.04釐米。器呈片狀，頭部呈尖桃形，並列一對圓眼。
亞字形身，背部中間一脊線，前後四肢相對向內彎曲，尾端尖。脊兩側飾對稱弦紋，由背脊處延至四肢，弦紋內飾一排連珠紋。
金沙遺址博物館，蛙形金器。
蜷曲的四肢、葫蘆形的頭部，尖桃形的蛙嘴，呈並列凸起的一對圓眼，腹部兩側的突起，尖狀的尾端，以及沿著背脊兩側向四肢延伸的弦紋和連珠狀乳丁紋都極富特色。
特別是連貫排列的圓而高凸的乳丁紋，形象地表現了青蛙或蟾蜍身上的斑點疙瘩，金箔蛙形飾的四肢作對稱性彎曲。
A malachite frog, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period | 東周戰國 孔雀石蛙
Cissy and Robert Tang Collection
對於蛙的崇拜，歷來有之，有學者認為，蛙崇拜源自古羌戎文化，晚商時期，通過這些古羌人（姜姓）與周人（姬姓）的不斷融合，蛙崇拜也進入周人的文化中。
一些考古材料證明上古時期對蛙的崇拜是跨地域存在的，直到現在，在一些少數民族的圖騰神話傳說中，仍能找到關於蛙圖騰崇拜的痕跡。在西雙版納布朗族山區，有癩蛤蟆幫助弱小戰勝強敵的傳說。
壯族至今還有一種青蛙節，據說每年正月上半月都要天天為青蛙祭祀，唱青蛙歌，跳青蛙舞，青蛙死了還要特意安葬。布朗族就認為他們的祖先形象即是半人半蛙。
Some scholars believe that frog worship originated from the content of ancient Qiang Rong culture, and during the late Shang Dynasty, through the continuous integration of these ancient Qiang people (Jiang) and Zhou people (Ji), frog worship also entered the culture of the Zhou people.
Some archaeological materials have proved that the worship of frogs existed across regions in the ancient times, and up to now, in the totem myths and legends of some ethnic minorities, you can still find traces of frog totem worship. In the Brown Mountain area of Xishuangbanna, there is a legend about a toad helping the weak to defeat the strong.
The Zhuang people still have a frog festival, in which frogs are worshipped every day in the first half of the first month of the year, frog songs are sung, frog dances are performed, and frogs are specially buried when they die. The Browns believe that their ancestors were half human and half frog.
Toad
386–534 CE
China, Six Dynasties period (317-581), Northern Wei dynasty
(386-534)
gilt bronze
Overall: 5 cm (1 15/16 in.)
Gift of Herbert F. Leisy in memory of his wife, Helen Stamp Leisy 1977.208
Description
In China, access to political power was granted to those who passed the civil service examinations, a system that offered official service only at a high level of education. Chinese literati-officials whose daily routine was administrative work in an office, enjoyed precious objects on their writing desks that offered distraction and demonstrated good taste. By the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, these utensils of the literati studio became also collectibles and were treasured as artworks.
Desk objects included paper weights, like this bronze frog, seals, seal paste boxes, brush rests, wrist rests, brush holders, water droppers, ink cakes, miniature mountains, and albums, all ranging in material from jade, gilt bronze, lacquer, and wood to porcelain.
Provenance
(Howard Hollis [1899–1985], Cleveland, OH, to Herbert F. Leisy)
?–1977
Herbert F. Leisy [1900–1977], Cleveland Heights, OH, gift to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1977–
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition History
China through the Magnifying Glass: Masterpieces in Miniature and Detail. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 11, 2022-February 26, 2023).
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