NEOLITHIC, DAWENKOU CULTURE, CIRCA 2500 B.C.

Details

AN UNUSUAL GRAY POTTERY OVOID VESSEL
Neolithic, Dawenkou Culture, circa 2500 B.C.
The high-shouldered ovoid body tapering to a flat foot, with the neck and head of a bird-like creature rising at a diagonal from one side of the shoulder to form a handle opposite a short, waisted spout with a strap handle projecting from the opposite side, the base of each encircled by a band of pricked dots, the bird's head simply detailed with a short beak, small impressed nostrils and eyes and a pair of pierced crescent-shaped ears, their scalloped edge perhaps alluding to feathers, with earth adhering to the burnished surface
12in. (30.5cm.) high

Lot Essay

In the Neolithic period in China, sculptural elements do appear on pottery vessels, some vessels either having animal-head spouts or formed as animals. This vessel retains its intrinsic tapering ovoid form, but adds a bird's head as decoration to the top of the cylindrical handle which rises from the shoulder opposite the spout and its curved strap handle. This additional handle facilitates pouring

For a red pottery vessel with bird's head handle at one end and the broad cylindrical spout at the other, attributed to the Qijia Culture, and dated circa 2000 B.C., see the cover illustration, Wenwu, 1995:2

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C97c89 is consistent with the dating of this lot