Kingdom of Khotan - Jade

Jade

Khotan, throughout and before the Silk Roads period, was a prominent trading oasis on the southern route of the Tarim Basin – the only major one “on the sole water course to cross the desert from the south”. Aside from the geographical location of the towns of Khotan it was also widely renowned as a significant area of nephrite jade production for export to China. Frances Wood provides a number of examples of Khotan jade trade by referring to: jade on sale there in observations of the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang in 645 as well as long-established jade sales to Chinese carvers in Xinglongwa and Chahai. She notes that these carvers had been carving ring-shaped pendants "from greenish jade from Khotan as early as 5000 BC". It would seem, from secondary sources, the prevalence of jade from Khotan from east to west is due to the relative lack elsewhere and to its quality. Evidence for the extent of the jade trade can be seen from archaeological remains as “polished and finished jade pieces were far more durable than ceramics and have survived for many millennia” . The jade from the rivers of Khotan continues to be transported along the southern Silk Road route to this day.