Earthenware Jar With Surface Impression Warring Sates (475-221 Bc), China

This type of unglazed jar appeared during the Eastern Zhou dynasty and early Han dynasty. The jar was grey after firing, and the jar’s base has dark grey, purple and reddish hues, which could result from being used as a cooking vessel. The natural beauty of the finish comes from its delicate surface patterns, formed by impressions of a rough-woven fibre, possibly cotton or straw. It has a thin rim and two pairs of tubular ‘ears’ in parallel on opposite sides of the rim. These finely-made ears have holes and allowed a thin handle to go through to lift the jar.