A Duck-Form Pottery Vessel

Yangshao Culture, China, c. 5000–3000 BCE Terracotta vessel in the form of a stylized waterfowl, modeled with a rounded body and simplified animal features characteristic of early Chinese pottery. The surface has a cross-hatched design often found on Yangsho pieces. Animal-form vessels of this type were associated with ritual practices within prehistoric China, reflecting the symbolic relationship between nature, spirituality, and daily life.