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Bird-shaped Urn
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
An imaginative shape and abstract curvilinear patterns lend delightful charm to this functional jar. Its fine-grained body has a light reddish color due to the iron content in the clay, achieved by ensuring abundant air in the kiln during the firing. The surfaces were burnished before applying the painted decoration in black and red.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineBird-shaped Urn, 2650–2350 BCE. Northwest China, Neolithic period, Majiayao culture, Banshan phase (2650–2350 BCE). Earthenware with slip-painted decoration; overall: 26.7 x 31.1 x 27.9 cm (10 1/2 x 12 1/4 x 11 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Dr. Norman Zaworski in honor of Dr. Ju-hsi Chou, 2007.276
