<p>the top character looks like “ㄓ” (之) in bronze script:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/y5DCr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/y5DCr.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>in the book 殷周金文集成, entry 11604 “蔡侯產劍”, the top left character</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/bKqEg.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bKqEg.jpg" alt="9" /></a></p>
<p>or, the artefact “蔡侯產戈“, with characters “蔡侯產之用戈”</p>
<p><a href="https://theme.npm.edu.tw/3d/Content.aspx?sno=04009242&amp;l=1&amp;q=&amp;cat=&amp;p=1&amp;fromCnt=0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://theme.npm.edu.tw/3d/Content.aspx?sno=04009242&amp;l=1&amp;q=&amp;cat=&amp;p=1&amp;fromCnt=0</a></p>
<p>the character “之” in this one is “embellished” with “蔡國鳥蟲書特色”</p>
<p>have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-24T23:24:53.920Z
2024-01-24T23:24:53.920Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>The characters are 「㞢（之）戈」, which is an incomplete inscription. For example, 「XX之戈」 means <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagger-axe" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dagger-axe</a> of XX</em>, so you have a proper noun or person's title missing from the inscription.</p>
<hr />
<p>As the characters are meant to be in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird-worm_seal_script" rel="nofollow noreferrer">bird seal script</a>, you can compare what you have with an inscription in that style. In this style, birds may be drawn as part of the actual character; for example, 「戈」 might look like</p>
<p><kbd><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period" rel="nofollow noreferrer">春秋</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions" rel="nofollow noreferrer">金</a><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/oVRPn.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/oVRPn.png" alt="戈" /></a><br>王子戈<br><a href="https://www.guoxuedashi.net/yzjwjc/?bh=11207&amp;jgwfl=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">集成11207</a></kbd></p>
<p>In the full inscription of 《殷周金文集成》11207 (below), which says 「王子㞢用戈」 (<em>Dagger-axe for the use of</em> 「王子」), characters which have extra bird decorations surrounding the characters are circled in blue.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ypWmB.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ypWmB.png" alt="王子戈" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-29T14:05:11.570Z
Thanks for all the assistance on translation. Purchased from reputable dealer in Thailand. Said to be found at an ancient burial site along with Jade items. Seller has little further information. Have another Ge found in same area, belonging to the later Han Dynasty.
Moser
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-16T03:31:55.763Z
An ancient Ge is also on display in a museum in the Thai province of Loei, near the Thai/Laos border. This may suggest Chinese Ge's were carried in ancient times by Chinese travelers/traders as defensive weapons.
Moser
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-26T19:10:56.150Z
2024-02-26T19:29:27.717Z
2024-02-26T19:29:27.717Z
dROOOze
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/9CFTD.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9CFTD.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/54Kno.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/54Kno.jpg" alt="Ge" /></a></p>
<p>Ancient Spring and Autumn/Warring States Period Chinese Ge (pole weapon) said to have been unearthed at an ancient community burial area along the present day Thai/Cambodia border near Aranyaprathet, Thailand. Current site input indicates characters are Bronze script. Similar characters can be seen on the bottom portion of a Ge pictured on <a href="https://www.chinafetching.com/sun-tzu" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.chinafetching.com/sun-tzu</a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0OzXS.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0OzXS.jpg" alt="Ge" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-24T23:19:17.790Z
The characters look like 「之先」 to me. Would you be able to take a more focussed and higher resolution image for the second character, without the bright image enhancements?
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-24T23:35:42.210Z
it’s in bronze script, not seal script, most likely, an artefact produced between spring & autumn period, and warring states period (bc -770 to bc -221)
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-25T01:51:32.280Z
Additional photos added. Do you have a possible English translation for this Bronze script? The web reflects Bronze script to be a very complex and changing writing style used in ancient China.
Moser
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-25T14:54:23.727Z
Did the other side have any writing? Or do both sides have the same characters?
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-25T15:29:47.690Z
Only one side has wording. Cannot see any other markings on it.
Moser
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-26T01:13:27.300Z
I tried to clean up first picture, 2nd word, for you. Difficult as bronze has flaked off over time.
Moser
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-26T03:20:28.200Z
Thank you, but I’m out of ideas. Maybe someone else will have better luck.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-26T03:32:21.233Z
Thanks for trying.
Moser
<translation><character-identification><word-requests>
Bronze script on Chinese Ge (Characters identified: 之戈)
# Bronze script on Chinese Ge (Characters identified: 之戈)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-01-24)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/9CFTD.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/9CFTD.jpg)[![Ge](https://i.sstatic.net/54Kno.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/54Kno.jpg)

Ancient Spring and Autumn/Warring States Period Chinese Ge (pole weapon) said to have been unearthed at an ancient community burial area along the present day Thai/Cambodia border near Aranyaprathet, Thailand. Current site input indicates characters are Bronze script. Similar characters can be seen on the bottom portion of a Ge pictured on <https://www.chinafetching.com/sun-tzu>

[![Ge](https://i.sstatic.net/0OzXS.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/0OzXS.jpg)

**Tags:** translation, character-identification, word-requests

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The characters look like 「之先」 to me. Would you be able to take a more focussed and higher resolution image for the second character, without the bright image enhancements?  
> **username_2**: it’s in bronze script, not seal script, most likely, an artefact produced between spring & autumn period, and warring states period (bc -770 to bc -221)  
> **username_0**: Additional photos added. Do you have a possible English translation for this Bronze script? The web reflects Bronze script to be a very complex and changing writing style used in ancient China.  
> **username_1**: Did the other side have any writing? Or do both sides have the same characters?  
> **username_0**: Only one side has wording. Cannot see any other markings on it.  
> **username_0**: I tried to clean up first picture, 2nd word, for you. Difficult as bronze has flaked off over time.  
> **username_1**: Thank you, but I’m out of ideas. Maybe someone else will have better luck.  
> **username_0**: Thanks for trying.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-01-24. Score: 1

the top character looks like “ㄓ” (之) in bronze script:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/y5DCr.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/y5DCr.png)

in the book 殷周金文集成, entry 11604 “蔡侯產劍”, the top left character

[![9](https://i.sstatic.net/bKqEg.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/bKqEg.jpg)

or, the artefact “蔡侯產戈“, with characters “蔡侯產之用戈”

<https://theme.npm.edu.tw/3d/Content.aspx?sno=04009242&l=1&q=&cat=&p=1&fromCnt=0>

the character “之” in this one is “embellished” with “蔡國鳥蟲書特色”

have fun :)


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-02-26. Score: 0

The characters are 「㞢（之）戈」, which is an incomplete inscription. For example, 「XX之戈」 means *[Dagger-axe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagger-axe) of XX*, so you have a proper noun or person's title missing from the inscription.

---

As the characters are meant to be in a [bird seal script](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird-worm_seal_script), you can compare what you have with an inscription in that style. In this style, birds may be drawn as part of the actual character; for example, 「戈」 might look like

`春秋  
金  
![戈](https://i.sstatic.net/oVRPn.png)  
王子戈  
集成11207`

In the full inscription of 《殷周金文集成》11207 (below), which says 「王子㞢用戈」 (*Dagger-axe for the use of* 「王子」), characters which have extra bird decorations surrounding the characters are circled in blue.

[![王子戈](https://i.sstatic.net/ypWmB.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/ypWmB.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for all the assistance on translation. Purchased from reputable dealer in Thailand. Said to be found at an ancient burial site along with Jade items. Seller has little further information. Have another Ge found in same area, belonging to the later Han Dynasty.  
> **username_0**: An ancient Ge is also on display in a museum in the Thai province of Loei, near the Thai/Laos border. This may suggest Chinese Ge's were carried in ancient times by Chinese travelers/traders as defensive weapons.  

---

