JAR, 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 Zhou and into the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the Han Dynasty witnessed a technological innovation in the firing of celadon, leading to the creation of ceramics that were both diverse in technique and form.

The green glaze of this piece exhibits a rich silvering, presenting a striking visual appeal. It is said that this natural silvering takes several centuries to develop.