MELON-RIBBED TWO-HANDLED JAR, Green-glazed, Tang–Song Period (618–1279 CE)

A two-handled jar with broadly projecting shoulders and a tapered lower body. Beneath the thickly rolled rim are small annular lugs, and the body is encircled by gentle undulations reminiscent of melon ribs. The work is noted for the contrast between its voluminous body and its narrowly cinched base.

The pronounced shoulders, melon‑ribbed body, and twin‑handled form correspond closely to the typical green‑glazed melon‑ribbed double‑handled jars produced during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Within the continuity of Chinese ceramics from the Tang to the Song dynasty, this is a utilitarian storage jar, yet the body's undulations and the placement of the handles reveal a clear, deliberate sculptural design.

The vessel's surface is entirely covered by oxidized earth, and the tone of the blue glaze is now scarcely discernible. A thick deposit of reddish-brown soil adheres, overlapping the potter's-wheel striations and the clay body's irregularities, giving the surface a dry appearance.

It shows age-related wear, including abrasion, soiling, deposits of oxidized earth, chips to the rim and handles, cracks, and kiln marks. It has a strong presence as a floor-standing jar and may also be used as a floral vessel by inserting an inner liner and arranging branches.