Mee Lee

Unknown

Well

private collection

This "Majiayao Culture Banshan Type Colorful Pot with Two Handles" dates back approximately 5,300 to 4,000 years and belongs to the late Neolithic period of the Majiayao culture in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in northwest China. The Majiayao culture is renowned for its splendid and colorful pottery techniques, which were primarily distributed in the plateau areas of Gansu, Qinghai, and Ningxia, reflecting the prehistoric plateau society's high pursuit of art, religion, and craftsmanship.

The pot is handmade from fine red clay, featuring a large belly and rounded shoulders, with an outward-flaring neck. It has symmetrical round handles on both sides, making it convenient for carrying and tying, showcasing a design that combines both practicality and aesthetics. The painted decorations use red and black colors, displayed on the shoulder and belly of the pot, with the main patterns being large spiral and wave motifs that emphasize symmetry and flow, rich in symbolic meaning. These geometric patterns may be related to religious meanings such as water flow, femininity, fertility, yin and yang, and serve as important visual symbols for religious rituals and tribal identity during that time.

The craftsmanship of Majiayao's Banshan-type colorful pottery is exquisite, with abstract and decorative patterns, making it a significant physical evidence for studying the aesthetics, beliefs, and historical context of ancient societies in the plateau region. This two-handled pot serves not only as a practical vessel for everyday storage but also as a brilliant relic of prehistoric colorful pottery art.

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