China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A heavy, hollow piece of pottery, with its exterior glazed in a thick, deep green and covered in very low relief swirling designs that look like large, leafy trees. This is designed to look like a granary; pottery models of important buildings were often placed into Han Dynasty burials to provide for the dead in the afterlife. On the center of the top of the granary, there is a hole, for filling it (and maybe this piece once had a symbolic offering of grain placed inside of it through this hole). The building is raised above the ground, echoing true granary design; they were raised to (attempt to) prevent vermin from entering them, and roofed with a cupola painted to look like tiles. These pieces give us a fascinating glimpse into what people in the Han Dynasty valued; the ability to store food for long periods of time was crucial to their lives, especially because of the long distances traveled over the Silk Road - a major part of their economy and cultural identity - without fresh food. Size: 8.2" W x 11" H (20.8 cm x 27.9 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Private East Coast collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#117034

Intact, with clear designs