Pot

Contributor

Date From

2300 BCE

Date To

2000 BCE

Materials

Height (cm)

11.4 cm

Width (cm)

19.4 cm (ears included)

Diameter (cm)

16.2 cm

Credit Line

Accession Number

HKU.C.2009.1803

Description

The pot is made of clay and hardened through heating. It is supposed use to hold food or drink. It is decorated, usually on the upper part only, with lots of leaves or waves alike geometric patterns executed in black pigment with brushing work. Pottery designed with paints is among the most iconic of the archaeological remains from Neolithic cultures. The earthenwares were often equipped with fanciful thin wall, paints and burnishes.

The Majiayao culture was boomed in the agricultural communities along the upper Yellow Riverbank regions including Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan province. The culture was from 3300 to 2000 BC and divided into three phases, including Majiayao, Banshan and Machang phase. In Majiayao phase, pot makers generally decorated their crafts with the designs in black pigment featuring sweeping parallel lines and dots. Meanwhile, for the potters in Banshan phase were famous for having curvilinear designs using both black and red paints. In Machang phase, the potteries were similar, but usually not as fine and high quality as the ones in the previous phases because it was having a mass production to support the demand of the rapid-growing population.

The craft shows a clear and logical design and savour evolution, leading from remarkable designs in the past cultures to linear beauty in Majiayao culture. The popularity of ceramics dropped dramatically once the crafting skills of bronze, lacquer and precious metals were matured in the later times.

Citation

“Pot,” 3D Objects at UMAG, accessed November 21, 2024, https://digasst.lib.hku.hk/items/show/107.

Output Formats

Geolocation