Mee Lee

Unknown

Well

private collection

This "Majiayao Culture Banshan Type Painted Pot with Double Ears" was created during the late Neolithic period in China (approximately 2800 to 2500 BC), originating from the golden age of the Majiayao Culture in the upper reaches of the Yellow River—Banshan type. The Majiayao Culture is renowned worldwide for its painted pottery, with the Banshan type representing the pinnacle of its artistry. The intricate and highly symbolic decorations reflect a profound exploration within primitive society regarding religion, the cosmos, and human order.

The pot is made of fine pottery, featuring a round and full shape with a short neck, wide shoulders, and small ears on the sides. The decoration of the pot is highly recognizable, employing red and black to create expansive swirls and curve combinations. The patterns are symmetrical and fluid, enhancing visual momentum.

These swirls and waves are crucial decorative motifs in Banshan type painted pottery, symbolizing life, rivers, and female fertility, and may also encompass tribal totems or sacrificial symbols.

Majiayao Banshan type painted pottery was not only used for storing wine, holding grains, and rituals but also served as a symbol of family and community identity, embodying the highly integrated aesthetics, beliefs, and social divisions of primitive society. This swirl-patterned painted pot, with its high artistic and craftsmanship standards, has become an important emblem of Neolithic painted pottery civilization in China.

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