jar; grave good

Jar, hu, with globular body, long neck and flaring mouth rim. It stands on a low splayed foot. The body is a coarse buff stoneware. It has turned reddish in the firing, as a result of the re-oxidation after the reduction firing. The jar is covered with olive green ash-glaze around the interior of the mouth and on the upper half of the exterior body except the neck. Decorated with two combed wavy bands around the exterior rim and the lower neck, and two raised bands around the shoulder where two lug handles with curled ends and a ring have been applied. Wheel-thrown. The form of this jar is based on a bronze vessel prototype. It would have been used as a food container, and also for ritual offerings of food in burial.

See p. 48, fig. 35, Vainker, Shelagh J. (1991), 'Chinese pottery and porcelain: From prehistory to the present', London: British Museum Press.

Collection Information

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