JAR, Iridescent green-glazed, Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE)

This is a green-glazed jar from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). During this period, the first true celadon wares emerged in the history of Chinese ceramics, alongside the production of ash-glazed pottery, painted gray pottery, black pottery, and lead-glazed ceramics. Transitioning from the bronze culture that flourished from the Shang to the Warring States periods, the Han Dynasty witnessed a technological innovation in the firing of celadon, leading to the creation of ceramics with diverse techniques and forms.

The green glaze of this piece exhibits a subtle iridescence, presenting a refined shade of green. It is said that this natural silvering can take hundreds of years to develop. I filled it with water for one hour, and there were no leaks.