What are these?

[John A Stuart]

I have been checking the various Chinese scripts. The closest in similarities to these four figures is found within two scripts known as greater seal (dazhuan) and lesser seal (xiaozhuan). There are marked similarities. An old form of this (jinwen) is found on bronzes from about 8 cent. BCE and is considered the first written Chinese being as how it is derived from shell and bone script (jiaguwen) from up to 20th cent. BCE. So, I rule out nothing yet, but am here at an impasse. John

[Nobody]

I have been checking the various Chinese scripts. The closest in similarities to these four figures is found within two scripts known as greater seal (dazhuan) and lesser seal (xiaozhuan). There are marked similarities. An old form of this (jinwen) is found on bronzes from about 8 cent. BCE and is considered the first written Chinese being as how it is derived from shell and bone script (jiaguwen) from up to 20th cent. BCE. So, I rule out nothing yet, but am here at an impasse. John

Did you check Bronzeware script (金文)?

They also look like the script.

 

http://www.journeytochinese.com/read-5.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronzeware_script

[John A Stuart]

Hi, Yes, there is an example above. Similar I think. I am afraid we need a scholar in this field, this is far beyond my education and what I can elicit from the web. John

[John A Stuart]

Hi All, here is a document containing various ancient scripts that could have symbols related to the kozuka and koshirae. Worth saving as a reference. John

な神代文字の種類・別名 Various scripts Japanese.doc

[Ford Hallam]

It's funny how things tend to niggle away in your mind until something eventually pops up. I've found another kozuka, with the same 5 symbols, in the Carlo Monzino sale catalogue. Lot no: 52. Described as Kaga work, 18th cent. The motif's described as "Ho-gaku", the 5 sacred mountains of Taoism.

 

The rest was merely a matter of finding some verification of that. Here's the link to the evidence.

 

At least we now know what they are...

 

Ford

[John A Stuart]

Excellent Ford. Good to see this one put to bed. John

[Nobody]

Based on the excellent find by Ford, I could find some pictures.

http://bbs.cfan.com.cn/viewthread.php?t ... orid=14955

[James]

You guys are great. Thanks for solving this one for me.

[Brian]

 

This is what forums are for...good research leading to a nice clean result. Nice one!

 

Brian