Abstract: Although jade is one of the symbolic signs of Chinese traditional culture, little information is known about the carving techniques of ancient jade due to few ancient literature records or excavated tools. Research about the traditional practice of jade carving are based on modern simulation results of jade carving and tool mark analysis of carved features. Rotary incising wheels, which appeared at the latest in the Shang Dynasty, greatly improved the efficiency of carving jade. Generally, it is considered that engraving soft jade with moderate hardness (Mohs hardness 6-6.5), which is harder than the wheel materials such as bronze and iron, should use abrasives. In this paper, we suggest that an iron wheel with lower hardness than soft jade can engrave jade without using abrasives. It is not easy to use rotary incising wheels with abrasives to incise jade, and thus we should be cautious to argue that rotary incising wheels for working jade need the abrasives in ancient times. Furthermore, there existed steel with higher hardness than soft jade in ancient times, and this rotary steel wheel doesn’t require abrasives. In addition, tool marks analysis using digital microscopy showed that some special carving features existed in engraved grooves when using modern diamond saw blade, which can be evidence for identifying fake jade.

Key words: Jade carving; Abrasives; Rotary incising wheels; Tool marks; Jade authentication