Massive Neolithic Vessel

This pot most likely came from what is now modern Kansu, the corridor west of the Yellow River and in the T'ao River Valley region of northwest China and east Mongolia. The Hsia Chia Tien culture (1890-1100 BC) that resided here actually predates the Shang Dynasty (1523-1028 BC) of the Central Plain. This culture and the superseding cultures (Ch'I-Chai, Hsin Tien, Ssu Wa, and Sha Ching) remained ignorant to the potter's wheel, which was already being used by their contemporaries in the Central Plain. Pots of these cultures were often built by coil construction and have an irregular appearance. This particular pot is likely to be of the Hsin Tien culture. A coat of red slip gives the clay body a pinkish patina, which is beautifully contrasted by black painted decoration. External decoration indicative of this period includes zigzags, whorls, crosses, checkerboards, double hooks, and occasional animal motifs. It has some repairs and a thermoluminescence (TL) test is available.