A Proto-Yueh pottery vase
越州窯青瓷瓶

Han dynasty, 1st century BC - 1st century AD, China
漢代, 紀元年 1 世紀到 1 世紀, 中國

Height: 37cm, 14.6 inches
高 37 釐米

The bulbous body carries two handles with applied S coils above, and a fixed ring handle below, it narrows towards the base, is not supported on a foot, and is slightly concave beneath. The shoulders narrow to a tallish neck with flaring mouth. The shoulders of the vase and upper body are glazed, as is the inside of the neck and mouth, the colourant is an iron oxide of grey green colour, the fired unglazed clay body is a reddish brown colour. The decoration is confined to the glazed exterior, where three incised and stamped bands each carry designs which vary but all feature the theme of waves or possible scrolling clouds.

This vase is a high fired pottery to stone ware temperatures from Southern China made on a wheel.