Browse Items (149 total)

(鼎) Ding tripod(comma) (汉朝) Han Dynasty 206 BCE – 220 CE. Cold painted ceramic. The Ding vessel was very important to the worship of ancestors(comma) with the earliest examples dating to the Erlitou site 1900 BCE. Elegant bronze versions appeared in…

(镇墓兽) Zhèn Mù Shoù(comma) tomb beasts(comma) （五代）wŭ dài(comma) Five Dynasties 907 – 979 CE. Painted earthenware. This pair of mythical tomb beasts were the second line of defense at the entry of a tomb. They were preceded by a pair of beefy warriors…

(镇墓兽) Zhèn Mù Shoù(comma) tomb beasts(comma) （五代）wŭ dài(comma) Five Dynasties 907 – 979 CE. Painted earthenware. This pair of mythical tomb beasts were the second line of defense at the entry of a tomb. They were preceded by a pair of beefy warriors…

Horse’s Head (汉朝) Han Dynasty 206 BCE – 220 CE. Painted earthenware tomb furnishing. High ranking Chinese officials from generals to emperors were buried with retinues in order to continue their life style in the next life. Horses were an important…

Tripod storage vessel (唐朝) Tang Dynasty(comma) Shaanxi province 618 – 906 CE. Earthenware with (三彩) sāncăi glaze. Táng tomb furnishings were famously covered with three colored glaze in very loose almost expressionistic decorations. The lead based…

Ewer with rooster spout and dragon handle (唐朝) Tang Dynasty 618 – 906 CE. Pottery with yellow and white lead glaze. This pitcher shows influence from the west(comma) Persia most likely. During the Táng dynasty trade along the silk road flowed freely…

Tomb guardian (唐朝) Tang dynasty(comma) Northwest China(comma) 618 – 906 CE. Painted earthenware figure. Three pairs of guardians were placed at the entrance of a high ranking court official’s tomb; beefy warriors(comma) mythical beasts and finally…

(茧形)jiăn xíng(comma) cocoon shaped vessel (汉朝) Han dynasty 206 BCE – 226 CE. Cold painted ceramic. Cocoon shaped vessels were used for the storage of wine and are often found in Han tombs as part of the necessary items for life in the next world. The…

（鸡冠壶）jī guān hú(comma) cockscomb pot(comma) (辽朝) Liao Kingdom 907 – 1125 CE(comma) stoneware with dark green glaze. The Khitan or Liao kings ruled north eastern China(comma) Mongolia and parts of Russia. They traded with China throughout the five…

(葫芦) húlu(comma) Calabash shaped ewer(comma) (辽朝) Liao Kingdom 907- 1125 CE(comma) stoneware with honey colored lead glaze. The use of the shape of the calabash gourd in ceramics originates in Northern provinces in the late Táng but didn’t become…