This very rare jar was made between the 10th and 13th centuries, during the Five Dynasties period (AD 906 - 960), Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279) or possibly the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). Similar vessels first appeared on the market a few years ago but were soon snapped up by eager collectors with only a few still remaining available for sale from sellers such as ourselves who purchased those that we could at the time. 

Such jars were originally reported to have been excavated from a Buddhist monastery site near Kunming in Yunnan province. This site had apparently been dated to the Five Dynasties period. However, the exact dating of such pottery is not clear due to a lack of reliable research having been undertaken and/or published. However, we have had examples TL tested, although TL testing is not an exact science but it is clear that they were certainly made between the 10th and 13th centuries.

Whilst the clay was still soft, the outer surface of this jar was incised with the characters of a Sanskrit-type script. There is also a column of incised Chinese characters that appears to have been done by a different hand and almost as an afterthought as it seems some Sanskrit type characters have been erased to make way for the Chinese, all this having been done whilst the clay was still soft, prior to firing. There is also an incised rectangle to the lower body as though special or important characters were to be incised there, but it remains blank. We have not had the text translated but they undoubtedly relate to Buddhist scriptures or prayers. 

Inside the jar, fused to the base, are the remains of a bronze disk, part of the original contents of this jar (some people refer to this type of jar as an "offering vessel"). 

Height 24 cm (9.5 inches). There is a small ancient chip to the underside edge of the cover. No repair or restoration; a nice example in fine condition.

This jar is from our own personal collection of ancient Yunnan ceramics acquired several years ago that we have not previously offered for sale.

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