Pair of pigeons. China, 20th century.Hand carved jade on wooden base.Measurements: 10 x 15 x 7 cm; 3.5 cm (base).Pair of figures of doves made of hand-carved jade. Both stand on carved wooden bases decorated at the top with a fretwork, also carved vegetal forms.Jade (nephrite) has been used in China since the Neolithic period, at first worked by abrasion and later by carving. Since ancient times it had a value equivalent to that given in Europe to gold, silver or precious stones. Since prehistoric times it has been the funerary material par excellence in China, and it also conferred status, since it was the material used by the powerful. It was therefore a material that was believed to protect in life, and hence it was used for the realization of amulets, ornaments or ritual knives. It is also associated with the five virtues: charity, for its luster that shines but does not dazzle; righteousness, for its transparency, which reveals the veins; wisdom, for its purity and sound; courage, because it breaks but does not fold; and justice, because its sharp edges do not hurt.