The jar with rounded sides rises to tall cylindrical neck, with fixed ring ‘taotie’ mask handles on either side as well as moulded decorations on the shoulder of animal figures including, tigers, lions, monkeys, boars and rhinoceri amongst foliage. Covered overall in a thick lead based green glaze.
Much like the other earthenware goods produced at this time, this jar, which contained grain or alcohol was made for burial purposes. The moulded decorations of animals on the shoulder suggests that the occupier of the tomb was a nobleman, a common pastime for the higher echelons of society.
- A similar piece is in the Metropolitan Museum collection, accession number: 67.43.17
- Another similar piece is illustrated by W.B.R Neave-Hill in ‘Chinese Ceramics’, 1975, cat 15, pg 25, John Batholomew & Son LTD Edinburgh & London.
