Chinese Hexagonal Double Lotus Base

Beads, scrolls, and tiny vines wrap this hexagonal base from top to bottom.

This hexagonal double lotus base in marble is from China. Marble is a hard crystalline stone that can be carved in fine detail and polished, and it has long been used in China for bases and architectural elements. Six-sided pedestal with a flat top and carved bands: foliate scrolls beneath the rim, rows of rounded beads in the middle, and curling motifs at the foot. The tan surface shows a soft, worn finish. It is 7 inches wide, 7 deep and 6 high.

A lot of ornament for something meant to hold up another thing.