Drill for carving jade

The tools used in Chinese jade carving have developed over thousands of years. A drill like this was used for carving jade and was affixed to the end of a spinning shaft on a table-type rotary machine. The spinning effect was powered by foot treadles and the friction between the drill and jade was eased by the use of a watery solution. The size of the drill and the consistent movement of the treadle allowed the artisan to achieve a high degree of detail.