2012.91.14, jar, low-fired pottery; 2200–1600 B.C.
Eason Eige Collection; photo by B. Bernard
2012.91.14, jar, low-fired pottery; 2200–1600 B.C.
Eason Eige Collection; photo by B. Bernard
This Qijia culture vessel is shaped like a bird missing its head. The neck doubles as the spout for the ewer, as you can see here. The tail is clearly depicted and two suspension holes hint at the wings, as you can see here. Perhaps there is an artistic pun built into the piece; just as a bird's wings hold it in the air, this ceramic bird's "wings" would, with the help of string, hold it up off the ground. The vessel measures 6 1/4 inches (16 cm) long.
Curiously, vessels shaped like birds lacking heads also occur in the U.S. Southwest, as you can see in a different Maxwell Museum exhibit (click here). We think that this duplication of form, half a globe away, is pure coincidence.
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