Description
A relatively thinly potted Chinese neolithic pottery jarlet. The slightly oblong mouth and neck tapering down to a midpoint before flaring out to a bulbus body, which tapers again to a flat base. Two wide strap handles are attached to the midpoint and the rim. Made from red pottery fired to a tan-orange color and lightly burnished. Coil lines slightly visible from the wide mouth.
This small cup was made over 4000 years ago, during the Qijia culture, an early bronze age neolithic culture that existed in a region in northern China, in an area known today as Gansu province. Although commonly referred to as red pottery, it’s appears as a tan color upon firing.
In contrast to more common larger Chinese neolithic pottery from the same period, a smaller jarlet of this size would have approximately the capacity of only one cup. This particular jarlet is atypical in form exhibiting a bulbous body as opposed to the more angular “zig-zag” designs frequently found on other Chinese neolithic pottery vessels from the Qijia period.
Dimensions (cm): Length 9 x Width 11 x Height 14
Provenance: Ex Roger Moss Collection UK auction in 2021/22 (by repute)
Condition: Excellent condition.
An identical cup is in the collection of The Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne, Germany is also dated to the Qijia Culture.
(Photo: © Rheinisches Bildarchiv Köln, rba_mfL012037_10)