Funerary Jar
1250-1350 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
It was a practice in Song China, particularly in the south, to leave offerings of rice in the tombs of the wealthy. The grain was contained in pairs of jars that were buried with the dead. This tall burial jar is one of a still-surviving pair, both of which are in the Museum's collection. It bears the Vermilion Bird of the South on its lid, and the Green Dragon of the East on its neck, together with figures of the sun god and star gods, and cranes, the symbol of long life.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Porcelain, with greenish glaze |
| Brief description | Funerary jar for grain offerings, Qingbai ware, 1250-1350, Song-Yuan dynasties, Chinese. |
| Physical description | Tall jar: a short body with curved sides, a very tall neck, with applied figures and a domed cover. It is roughly potted and decorated with applied moulded decoration. It is roughly glazed with a green-tinted glaze except for the foot and the base. It has a bird finial and a dragon around its shoulder. In addition it features a sun god figure, along with star gods and cranes, and a band of human figures beneath. |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Purchased from Mr. William B. Paterson (25 Old Bond Street, W), accessioned in 1912. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Summary | It was a practice in Song China, particularly in the south, to leave offerings of rice in the tombs of the wealthy. The grain was contained in pairs of jars that were buried with the dead. This tall burial jar is one of a still-surviving pair, both of which are in the Museum's collection. It bears the Vermilion Bird of the South on its lid, and the Green Dragon of the East on its neck, together with figures of the sun god and star gods, and cranes, the symbol of long life. |
| Bibliographic reference | Possibly referring to: The Art of Rice: Spirit and Sustenance in Asia, October 5, 2003 to April 25, 2004 at the Fowler Museum, UCLA. Cat.No. 26.5 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.225&A-1912 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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