BOTTLE WITH HANDLE, Sue Ware, Kofun Period（250-581CE）

The vessel form known as "teihei" features a flattened body with a neck and handles attached at the shoulders. The creation of the teihei involves stacking coils of clay from the bottom upwards, culminating in a clay disc that serves as a lid, followed by the shaping of the body. One side of the vessel is rounded while the opposite side is flat. This design can be attributed both to functional considerations—allowing the vessel to be suspended like a water bottle with the flat side resting against the body—and to technical aspects of the shaping process.

The design of the handles has evolved from circular, looped forms to more simplified, decorative motifs, indicating a gradual decline in their functional use as carrying handles. It is widely accepted that from the time of the teihei's emergence in the sixth century, the practical purpose of the handles was not a primary concern, as examples of teihei without handles exist regardless of their chronological context.

This particular piece features handles with circular decorative motifs, and the neck flares out in a trumpet shape, exuding a weathered elegance reminiscent of flowers in bloom.