A CHINESE NEOLITHIC PAINTED POTTERY JAR, MAJIAYAO CULTURE, MID TO LATE 3RD MILLENIUM BC A CHINESE NEOLITHIC PAINTED POTTERY JAR, MAJIAYAO CULTURE, MID TO LATE 3RD MILLENIUM BC A CHINESE NEOLITHIC PAINTED POTTERY JAR, MAJIAYAO CULTURE, MID TO LATE 3RD MILLENIUM BC A CHINESE NEOLITHIC PAINTED POTTERY JAR, MAJIAYAO CULTURE, MID TO LATE 3RD MILLENIUM BC A CHINESE NEOLITHIC PAINTED POTTERY JAR, MAJIAYAO CULTURE, MID TO LATE 3RD MILLENIUM BC

A CHINESE NEOLITHIC PAINTED POTTERY JAR, MAJIAYAO CULTURE, MID TO LATE 3RD MILLENIUM BC

Reference: ART1007645

A neolithic jar made of orange-brown clay and pear-shaped body with a relative short but broad cylindrical neck. Standing on a flat base and equipped with a pair of broad lugs placed mid-way. The jar is made up of four large roundels, each containing a kind of checkerboard pattern, all placed above a wavy band encircling mid-way this jar. Around these medallions are visible some broad circles and semi-circles. The simple line encompassing the shoulder shows beneath another concentric though wavy band. The cylindrical neck is finely painted with chevrons while its inside sees some swaying tassels.

The pottery vases of the Majiayao Culture possess the most varied and attractive decoration of any prehistoric Chinese painted pottery known. As well it includes the largest average pot size and the greatest variety of pot types among any pottery of prehistoric Chinese cultures. It is estimated that these painted pottery jars were fired at a temperature of between 800 and 1050 degrees Celsius, the highest firing temperature of any prehistoric Chinese civilization. As result, the body is hard, tough and not easily to be damaged and resistant to weathering that is confirmed by the fine condition of this jar. 42 cm.

PROVENANCE Private collection, The Netherlands

CATALOGUE NOTE Comparable Neolithic pottery jars from the Majiayao Culture are published by R. Krahl in ’Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection’, vol. 1, Azimuth Editions Limited, London 1994, nos. 6, 12 and 32.