Cleveland Museum of Art

Bird-shaped Urn

Date

2650–2350 BCE

Medium

earthenware with slip-painted decoration

Culture

Northwest China, Neolithic period, Majiayao culture, Banshan phase (2650–2350 BCE)

Department

Chinese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

An imaginative shape and abstract curvilinear patterns lend delightful charm to this functional jar. Its fine-grained body has a light reddish color due to the iron content in the clay, achieved by ensuring abundant air in the kiln during the firing. The surfaces were burnished before applying the painted decoration in black and red. This abstract vessel may be imagined as a bird with feathers painted on the body.

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