NEOLITHIC c.2300 – 2000 B.C.
A Chinese Neolithic pottery jar with two handles c.2300 – 2000 B.C. Machang Phase of Majiayao Culture from Gansu or Qinghai Province.
SOLD
- Condition
- In exceptionally good condition, some very minor rubbing and small amounts of paint loss.
- Size
- Height : 8.5 cm (3 1/4 inches)
- Provenance
- N/A
- Stock number
- 21759
Photos
Information
The Majiayao Neolithic Culture :
The Majiayao Culture was a culture of the late Neolithic Age that existed around 5,750-3,950 years ago. It is named after the Majiayao Site in Lintao, Gansu. The Site covers an area of about 100,000 square meters. Coloured pottery excavated here was well developed. Among all the pottery wares, coloured wares possessed a high proportion. Potteries commonly had their upper sections coated red or purplish red. They were decorated with black and red geometric patterns. Other patterns included human figures and frogs. The black and red provided a most attractive contrast. Among them, a basin depicting five people dancing hand in hand is now considered a national art treasure. Villages and large-scale cemeteries were found in this culture. This showed that people at that time had a settled way of life. Weaving tools including spinning wheels where found in some tombs of females while male tombs generally contained production tools like axes, adzes and chisels. This indicated that there was a division in social roles, with females specializing in weaving and males in farming.