Accession Number1993/1.55A&B
TitleCovered Jar and Lid
Artist(s)ChineseArtist NationalityChinese (culture or style)Object Creation Date206 BCE-25 CEMedium & Supportearthenware with mineral paintDimensions 26 ¼ in x 17 ⅛ in x 17 ⅛ in (66.68 cm x 43.5 cm x 43.5 cm);2 3/16 in x 9 ⅛ in x 9 ⅛ in (5.56 cm x 23.18 cm x 23.18 cm);24 in x 17 ⅛ in x 17 ⅛ in (60.96 cm x 43.5 cm x 43.5 cm)
Credit LineGift of Domino's Pizza, Inc.Subject matterGray earthenware
hu (壺) jars were made for storing "wine" or millet ales. These types of polychrome painted
hu were made in northern workshops of the Western Han dynasty (206 BCE-25 CE) as funerary storage vessels to supply for the afterlife. They have been found in the tombs primarily in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, and Henan provinces. The scrolling cloud design, thought to be an auspicious motif with the power to ward off evil spirits, is the predominant decoration on Han artifacts and can be found in all media. Polychrome painted pieces were found primarily in aristocratic and elite tombs.
Physical DescriptionJar with a low-domed cap lid. It is painted with a scrolling clouds motif in red, white, and black mineral pigments.
Primary Object Classification Ceramic Primary Object TypejarAdditional Object Classification(s)CeramicCollection AreaAsianRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
ceramic (material)
clouds
earthenware
grave goods
jars
lids (covers)
mineral pigment
wine bottles