Catalog (73)

This fine pottery jar was made some 4,000 years ago. Although it was excavated from Gansu province, we are not certain from which Neolithic culture it derives although it is probably a product of the Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC).� It is well-made and quite highly-fired, having a distinct ring when tapped. The lower body has been decorated with an impressed, almost spiral pattern. The upper body has a smooth burnished finish and has been coa...

This small pottery jar, or cup, was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. Most known Machang jars of this approximate size have two handles; jars such as this with only one handle are particularly rare. The outer surface and inner mouth have been decorated with geometric patterns using fired-...

This pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. The inside of the mouth and the upper body have been decorated with geometric patterns in purple and black fired-on mineral-based pigments. Most known Machang jars of this general size and type have two handles; this is particularly rare ha...

This very rare and unusual pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Majiayao Culture, most likely during the Banshan phase (c. 2600 - 2300 BC). It is made from quite a coarse pottery and fairly "crudely" made. It is of a most unusual form with the small loop handle at its top and the wide spout. 

Diameter 13.5 cm, height 10 cm. Although not immediately obvious, we believe the handle has ...

This fine pottery jar was made around 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), from what is now eastern Gansu province, China. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes as well as finely-burnished jars such as this, with one, two or three handles. It is relatively highly-fired, having a distinct ring to it when tapped....

This jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), from what is now eastern Gansu province. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes. This particular example is made from a coarse gritty clay and has a wide flaring mouth. There is a ridge around the shoulder below which the main surface of the body is decorated with cord impre...

This rare pottery jar was made around 3,000 years ago. Although we are not certain from which Neolithic culture it originates, it does have similarities to pottery of the Xindian Culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The surface colour of the pottery varies considerably due to uneven conditions in the kiln during firing. It a has a convex base with two wide loop handles and a castellated decorative band around both sides of the mouth. The outer surface has ...

This rare pottery jar was made around 3,000 years ago. Although we are not certain from which Neolithic culture it originates, it does have similarities to pottery of the Xindian Culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). It is fairly "heavily-potted" and the surface colour of the pottery varies considerably due to uneven conditions in the kiln during firing. It a has a convex base with two wide loop handles and a castellated rim. The entire outer surface has be...

This large and impressive pottery jar dates to the Siwa culture (c. 1350 BC). It has a relatively small flat base and a wide saddle-shaped mouth. There are two loop handles that join the shoulder to the rim. The surface colour of the pottery has interesting variations in places, from an attractive deep orange to grey, a result of uneven conditions during the firing process. The clay is quite gritty and in places there are surface ...

This large and impressive pottery jar dates to the Siwa culture (c. 1350 BC). From its fairly small flat base, the body spreads out to a wide waist and then tapers in again to a neck of about the same width as the base before flaring out to form the mouth. There are two loop handles that join the shoulder to the rim. The surface colour of the pottery has interesting variations in places, from an attractive deep orange to grey, a r...

This rare and attractively-shaped pottery jar was made around 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), from what is now eastern Gansu province, China. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes as well as higher-fired jars such as this. This jar is relatively highly-fired and is quite an unusual shape with its almost spher...

This tall and attractively-shaped pottery vessel was made around 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Qijia Culture in eastern Gansu province, China dating from approx. 2050 - 1700 BC. It is relatively highly-fired and the colour of the pottery varies in places due to uneven conditions in the Neolithic kiln. The surface, especially the upper half, is smooth to the touch. Decoration is modest with an incised band around the neck and simple impress...

This tall and attractively-shaped pottery vessel was made around 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Qijia Culture in eastern Gansu province, China dating from approx. 2050 - 1700 BC. It is relatively highly-fired. The lower surface has been decorated with repeated vertical lines whereas the upper surface has been burnished to a smooth finish. At the waist are two loop handles, with the surface of the body on the inside of the handles slightly d...

This attractively-shaped pottery jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It is finely-potted with thin walls and the pottery has fired to a nice reddish-orange colour. It has a wide body with two loop handles joined at the shoulder and the flared mouth, and a relatively small flat base. Unlik...

This attractively-shaped pottery jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It is finely-potted with a wide body and one handle from the shoulder to the wide flared mouth. The smooth burnished surface makes this vessel a pleasure to handle as well as to view. 

A good size with a height of 16...

This very rare and unusually-shaped pottery jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It is finely-potted with a wide body and two loop handles. The body stands on an integral foot that is pierced with three circular holes. It has a very smooth burnished surface. There are lightly-incis...

This rare and attractively-shaped round pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It has a wide body, straight neck and wide flared-mouth. The surface above the waist, as well as the inside of the mouth, has been finely-burnished and is very smooth to the touch. Around the neck is a band o...

This jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), from what is now eastern Gansu province. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes. This particular example is made from a coarse gritty clay and has a wide flaring mouth. Below the neck the surface of the body is decorated with cord impressions that were repeatedly pressed ...

This large and impressive pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It is relatively highly-fired and has been fired to a very pleasing pale yellowish-brown colour. The upper surface has been burnished and is smooth to the touch. The lower surface has been simply yet effectively decora...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and, therefore, more durable than lower-fired examples. The inside of the mouth and the upper body have been coated in a reddish-brown wash on top of which have been painted geometr...

This fine and attractively-shaped pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It is finely-potted with a wide body that tapers down to a relatively small base and one handle from the shoulder to the flared mouth. The upper surface has been burnished smooth. 

Height 29 cm (11.5 inches), diameter 27 ...

This attractively-shaped pottery jar dates to the Siwa culture (c. 1350 BC), one of the later Chinese Neolithic cultures overlapping the Bronze Age. It has been fired to an attractive orange-red and has a burnished surface making it smooth to the touch and a pleasure to handle. It has a wide body with a relatively small flat base. There are two loop handles joining the shoulder to the mouth which is of the form sometimes referred to ...

This impressive pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is quite "heavily-potted" with a smooth surface and is fairly highly-fired. It has a short neck with flared mouth, and two sturdy loop handles on opposing sides at the waist. The outside of the jar and the mouth have been decor...

This impressive pottery jar was, incredibly, made around 4,500 years ago during the Banshan Phase (c. 2600 - 2300 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province.

This jar is made from a relatively highly-fired pale reddish pottery. For its size it is relatively thinly-potted. It has two sturdy loops handles on opposing side of the waist. It has a smooth burnished s...

This very rare pottery jar was made around 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), from what is now eastern Gansu province, China. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes as well as a variety of finer vessels such as this, with none, one, two or three handles, although those with three handles are extremely rare. It is relatively highly-...

This large and extremely rare pottery jar was made by peoples of the Neolithic Xindian culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The Xindian culture is a relatively late Neolithic culture and overlaps with the Chinese Bronze Age. This jar is of the Tangwang type and is not quite as coarse in its construction as some other Xindian vessels. It is quite "heavily-potted" with two loop handles on opposing sides ...

This superb and rare tall pottery vessel was made some 4,000 years ago by people of the Xiajiadian culture (c. 2300 - 1600 BC) from Inner Mongolia. This vessel is particularly characteristic of this Neolithic culture with its wide rim, partly hollow udder-shaped legs and carefully constructed body. It has a finely burnished surface, its smoothness making it a real pleasure to handle as well as to view. In places on th...

This rare and interesting pottery vessel was made by peoples of the Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC). Such vessels are sometimes called "owl" jars. It is quite "heavily-potted" and made from a grey pottery that is relatively highly-fired. The "top" of the vessel, as well as the surface of the single andle, has woven impressions, most likely made when this piece of clay was being formed, resting on some kind of woven m...

This jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), in the north of China, what is now eastern Gansu province. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes. This particular example is made from a coarse gritty clay and has a wide flaring mouth. The surface colour varies and in places are what appear to be carbon deposits suggest...

This jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), in the north of China, what is now eastern Gansu province. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes. This particular example is made from a coarse gritty clay and more "heavily-potted" than some. It has a particularly pleasing form with its wide body and wide flared mouth. ...

This pottery jar was made some 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), in the north of China, what is now eastern Gansu province. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes. This particular example is quite "heavily-potted" with the upper body decorated by one long incised line that spirals, haphazardly, down from the neck to t...

This attractively-shaped pottery jar dates to the Siwa culture (c. 1350 BC), one of the later Chinese Neolithic cultures overlapping the Bronze Age. It has a very attractive form with its wide body and a relatively small flat base. There are two loop handles joining the shoulder to the mouth which is of the form sometimes referred to as "saddle-shaped". It has been fired to an attractive orange-red and has a burnished surface making...

This rare pottery tripod ("li") was made some 4,000 years ago. Although similar vessels were made by various Chinese Neolithic cultures, we believe this particular example to have been made by potters of the Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC). The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to the contents inside the vessel. Such tripods are...

This rare pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago by peoples of the Siwa Culture (c.1350 BC) from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is attractively-shaped with high handles, a saddle-shaped mouth and a wide body that tapers down to a small circular flat base. Pottery jars from the Siwa culture are rarer than those of the preceding Qijia and Majiayao cultures and most known examples are made fro...

This very rare pottery jar was made around 3,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Xindian culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The Xindian culture is a relatively late Neolithic culture and overlaps with the Chinese Bronze Age. Xindian pottery is rarer and generally much less refined, more coarse and brittle than pottery from some earlier Chinese Neolithic cultures. Like many Xindian jars, this example is quite "thinly-potted" and shows "...

This superb and rare tall pottery vessel was made some 4,000 years ago by people of the Xiajiadian culture (c. 2300 - 1600 BC) from Inner Mongolia. The form of this vessel is characteristic of this Neolithic culture with its wide rim, partly hollow udder-shaped legs and carefully constructed body. The surface of the body above the legs, and the inner mouth, have a finely burnished surface, its smoothness making it a real p...

This small pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is made from a fairly high-fired pale pottery and is of a very unusual and rare form with its wide body, small unflared mouth, no handles and four pairs of purpose-made holes around its shoulder. These holes were clearly made ...

This small pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is made from a fairly high-fired pale pottery and is of a very unusual and rare form with its wide body, small unflared mouth, no handles and four pairs of purpose-made holes around its shoulder. These holes were clearly made ...

This unusually-shaped large pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c.2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a pale yellowish-brown pottery. It has a fairly wide flat base, wide body and tall cylindrical neck. There is one loop handle joined at the shoulder and neck base, ...

This large pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a pale yellowish-brown pottery. For its type it has quite a large flat base with the body flaring out towards the wide waist where there are two sturdy loop handles. The u...

This fine and interesting pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago during the Chinese Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to its contents. It is not always easy to determine exactly which culture such vessels come from as similar vessels were made by various Chinese cultures. However, we un...

This pottery jar was made by peoples of the Siwa culture (c. 1350 BC), one of the later Chinese Neolithic cultures, overlapping the Bronze Age. It is of a slightly differing shape to most know similar examples in that it has a wider base and, therefore, wider lower body. It is fairly heavily-potted and has been fired to an attractive orange-red colour. There are two loop handles joining the shoulder to the mouth which is of the ...

This pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is made from a relatively high-fired yellowish-brown pottery. It is of quite a "squat" form, with the wide body being quite low. There are two sturdy loop handles joined at the waist and just below the rim. The outer surfac...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a buff-coloured pottery. It has a wide body and two loop handles joined at the waist and upper neck. The outer surface and inner mouth have been coated in a reddish-br...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a buff-coloured pottery with a smooth burnished surface. It has a wide body and two loop handles joined at the waist and upper neck. The outer surface and inner mouth ...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a buff-coloured pottery. It has a wide body and two loop handles joined at the waist and upper neck. The outer surface and inner mouth have been coated in a reddish-br...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a buff-coloured pottery with a smooth burnished surface. It has a wide body and two loop handles joined at the waist and upper neck. The outer surface and inner mouth ...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. This jar is relatively highly-fired and little more "heavily-potted" than some other similar examples. It has a smooth burnished surface. The outer surface and inner mouth have been elaborately decorated with a ...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a buff-coloured pottery with a smooth burnished surface. It has a wide body and two loop handles joined at the waist and upper neck. The outer surface and inner mouth ...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a buff-coloured pottery with a smooth burnished surface. It has a wide body and two loop handles joined at the waist and upper neck. The outer surface and inner mouth ...

This interesting pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago during the Chinese Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to its contents. It is not always easy to determine exactly which culture such vessels come from as similar vessels were made by various Chinese cultures. However, we understand this example was exc...

This interesting pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago during the Chinese Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to its contents. It is not always easy to determine exactly which culture such vessels come from as similar vessels were made by various Chinese cultures. However, we understand this example was exc...

This interesting pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago during the Chinese Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to its contents. It is not always easy to determine exactly which culture such vessels come from as similar vessels were made by various Chinese cultures. However, we understand this example was exc...

This interesting pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago during the Chinese Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to its contents. It is not always easy to determine exactly which culture such vessels come from as similar vessels were made by various Chinese cultures. However, we understand this example was exc...

This interesting pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago during the Chinese Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to its contents. It is not always easy to determine exactly which culture such vessels come from as similar vessels were made by various Chinese cultures. However, we understand this example was exc...

This twin-handled pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is quite thin-walled and relatively highly-fired. The upper body has been coated in a reddish-brown wash on top of which have been painted geometric patterns in a dark fired-on mineral-based pigment. Interest...

This large pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is quite "heavily-potted" and is relatively highly-fired. It has a short neck with flared mouth, and two sturdy loop handles on opposing sides at the waist. The outside of the jar and the mouth have been decorated with geometric pat...

This rare pottery jar was made around 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Qijia Culture (c. 2050 - 1700 BC), from what is now eastern Gansu province, China. They produced a variety of pottery vessels including cord-impressed pottery of many shapes and sizes as well as higher-fired jars such as this. This is quite an unusual shape with its wide body and two small loop handles on opposing sides of its ...

This rare pottery jar was made around 3,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Xindian culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The Xindian culture is a relatively late Neolithic culture and overlaps with the Chinese Bronze Age. Xindian pottery is rarer and generally less refined, more coarse and brittle than pottery from some earlier Chinese Neolithic cultures. 

The lower body is quite wide and there is a tall neck ending with a flared mouth...

This rare pottery jar was made around 3,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Xindian culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The Xindian culture is a relatively late Neolithic culture and overlaps with the Chinese Bronze Age. Xindian pottery is rarer and generally less refined, more coarse and brittle than pottery from some earlier Chinese Neolithic cultures. This jar, however, is well-made and of an attractive form. It is made from quite a gritt...