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A Han (206BC -220AD) Glazed Hu Vessel

$4,500
£3,414.50
€3,904.17
CA$6,285.28
A$6,988.38
CHF 3,648.94
MX$85,065.55
NOK 46,558.94
SEK 43,623.50
DKK 29,137.55
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About the Item

This is a fine, heavily patinated example of a Han hu wine storage vessel, buried for the afterlife. The compressed globular body narrows to a slender waisted neck, covered with a dark green lead glaze that has developed a silvery patina due to long-term exposure to water. This large storage jar would have been placed in a tomb in north-central China during the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.–9 C.E.). It is based on the hu bronze wine vessel shape, particularly inlaid bronzes from the late Shang dynasty through the Warring States (472–221 B.C.E.) periods. It is decorated with molded rings and escutcheons derived from bronze models. During the Han, a variety of cults and belief systems existed. Some systems aimed to prolong life, others to provide for continued life in the tomb, still others assumed the presence of immortal kingdoms to which the soul was transported. As bronze was banned for burial, ceramics were substituted. This had the effect of making the tombs less attractive to looters.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Diameter: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)
  • Style:
    Han (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    206BC-220AD
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Chicago, IL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: RHS0251stDibs: LU886437128982

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