A COLLECTION of more than a dozen rare Chinese burial jades - some dating back more than 2,000 years - has returned to the North-East.

For the last eight months, the artefacts have been among the star attractions at a blockbuster exhibition in Scotland, but have now returned to their permanent home at the Oriental Museum in Durham City.

The jades were the centrepiece of the show One Million Days In China, which brought a record-breaking 200,000 visitors through the doors of the Burrell Collection in Glasgow.

The jades were used in ancient Chinese burials because it was believed they had powers which could halt the process of decomposition after death.

Kevin McLoughlin, deputy curator of the Oriental Museum, said: "While it has been fabulous to have treasures from our collection admired by almost a quarter of a million museum-goers in Scotland, it is great to have them back in the North-East and to be able to display them once again to local people."

The jades can bee seen at the museum in Elvet Hill, Durham City, from 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday, from noon to 5pm at weekends.

Published: 04/03/2005