Storage Jar

COLLECTION NAME:

The AMICA Library

mediaCollectionId

AMICO~1~1

The AMICA Library

Collection

true

AMICA ID:

ASIA.1979.125

amicoid

ASIA.1979.125

AMICA ID

false

AMICA Library Year:

1998

aly

1998

AMICA Library Year

false

Object Type:

Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects

oty

Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects

Object Type

false

Creator Nationality:

Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese

crc

Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese

Creator Nationality

false

Creator Name-CRT:

Chinese

crt

Chinese

Creator Name-CRT

false

Title:

Storage Jar

otn

Storage Jar

Title

false

View:

Full view

rid

Full view

View

false

Creation Date:

Neolithic period, Gansu Yangshao culture, Banshan type, c. 3rd-2nd millenium BCE

oct

Neolithic period, Gansu Yangshao culture, Banshan type, c. 3rd-2nd millenium BCE

Creation Date

false

Creation Start Date:

0

ocs

0

Creation Start Date

false

Creation End Date:

0

oce

0

Creation End Date

false

Materials and Techniques:

Earthenware painted with red and black slips

omd

Earthenware painted with red and black slips

Materials and Techniques

false

Classification Term:

Ceramics

clt

Ceramics

Classification Term

false

Creation Place:

China, Gansu or Qinghai Province

ocp

China, Gansu or Qinghai Province

Creation Place

false

Dimensions:

H. 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm); D. 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm) without handles

met

H. 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm); D. 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm) without handles

Dimensions

false

AMICA Contributor:

Asia Society

oon

Asia Society

AMICA Contributor

false

Owner Location:

New York, New York, USA

oop

New York, New York, USA

Owner Location

false

ID Number:

1979.125

ooa

1979.125

ID Number

false

Credit Line:

Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection

ooc

Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection

Credit Line

false

Rights:

http://www.asiasociety.org

orl

<a href="http://www.asiasociety.org"target="_new">http://www.asiasociety.org</a>

Rights

false

Context:

Ceramic vessels are associated with most of China's Neolithic civilizations. The most striking and numerous are those produced by the Yangshao culture, which flourished in north-central and northwest China c. 5000-500 BCE. The Yangshao culture is generally divided into six phases, each of which is named for an archaeological site and characterized by the creation of earthenwares painted in shades of black, red, and brown. The shapes and decorations of these ceramics vary from phase to phase. The density and complexity of the decoration painted on this large storage jar are characteristic of ceramics produced during the Gansu Yangshao (c. 3000-1500 BCE), which flourished in Gansu and Qinghai provinces in the northwest. The swirling curvilinear patterns decorating the upper half of the jar and the serrations along the edges of the lines used to paint these forms typify ceramics made during the Banshan phase of the Gansu Yangshao, generally dated to the early third millennium BCE.

Both decorated and undecorated ceramics such as this jar were used either as ritual objecgts or to show the high status of their owners. The two large lugs on either side of the jar may have been used for carrying, while the two smaller ones at the top could have helped to secure a cover. It has also been suggested that the lower half of such vessels were left unpainted so that they could be partially buried in the ground, providing some stability.

This enormous jar was made of earthenware using the coil method. Earthenware is a coarse and somewhat grainy clay fired at a fairly low temperature. Vessels made of it are rather fragile and fairly porous. Coiling is a method associated with only the earliest Chinese ceramics, as most later pieces were thrown on the wheel. During the Neolithic period, mats and other objects were used to turn and shape the clay. Designs were then painted on, and both the form and the decoration were burnished, or rubbed down, using a stone or some other implement. The design was painted with slip, a thin mixture of clay and water, and, in this instance, colored using mineral pigments.

cxd

Ceramic vessels are associated with most of China's Neolithic civilizations. The most striking and numerous are those produced by the Yangshao culture, which flourished in north-central and northwest China c. 5000-500 BCE. The Yangshao culture is generally divided into six phases, each of which is named for an archaeological site and characterized by the creation of earthenwares painted in shades of black, red, and brown. The shapes and decorations of these ceramics vary from phase to phase. The density and complexity of the decoration painted on this large storage jar are characteristic of ceramics produced during the Gansu Yangshao (c. 3000-1500 BCE), which flourished in Gansu and Qinghai provinces in the northwest. The swirling curvilinear patterns decorating the upper half of the jar and the serrations along the edges of the lines used to paint these forms typify ceramics made during the Banshan phase of the Gansu Yangshao, generally dated to the early third millennium BCE.<P>Both decorated and undecorated ceramics such as this jar were used either as ritual objecgts or to show the high status of their owners. The two large lugs on either side of the jar may have been used for carrying, while the two smaller ones at the top could have helped to secure a cover. It has also been suggested that the lower half of such vessels were left unpainted so that they could be partially buried in the ground, providing some stability.</P><P>This enormous jar was made of earthenware using the coil method. Earthenware is a coarse and somewhat grainy clay fired at a fairly low temperature. Vessels made of it are rather fragile and fairly porous. Coiling is a method associated with only the earliest Chinese ceramics, as most later pieces were thrown on the wheel. During the Neolithic period, mats and other objects were used to turn and shape the clay. Designs were then painted on, and both the form and the decoration were burnished, or rubbed down, using a stone or some other implement. The design was painted with slip, a thin mixture of clay and water, and, in this instance, colored using mineral pigments.</P>

Context

false

Log In Thumbnail Count 50 100 250 Thumbnail Size Small Medium Large Theme Dark White More Settings	Select the category to search in All - Search Catalog Data Catalog Data & text in Documents Search By Date Range Advanced Search
COLLECTIONS All Collections The AMICA Library EXPLORE Browse All Media Groups Presentations External Media Search Browse Facets Workspace CREATE Media Groups Presentations SHARE EMBED PRINT HELP

MEDIA INFORMATION

Storage Jar