Neolithic Majiayao Culture Folded-Belly Painted Pottery Basin with Multi-Layer Geometric Stripes, Neolithic Majiayao Culture

拍品描述

Dimensions: 16.5 cm (6.50 in) in diameter, 10 cm (3.94 in) in height, dating back approximately 5000 years, Neolithic period, 3300-2050 BC. Condition and Provenance: This basin is well-preserved, with no hidden cracks or signs of glued repairs. There are only minor excavation marks on the rim, and no signs of modern polishing or repainting. The body is made of red terracotta, coarse but solid. Multiple layers of red and black mineral painted decoration are clearly visible on the exterior, with a thick natural patina covering the entire surface. Hand-finishing marks on the flat bottom are a true testament to the original craftsmanship. All soil rust and aged surface are in their original burial state, untouched by modern acid washing or artificial repainting. This pottery passed through the hands of a collector in the Northwest region several decades ago to an antique gallery in Hong Kong, and was acquired in 2018 by a private prehistoric pottery collection in Pennsylvania, USA. Hong Kong, Pennsylvania, and Vancouver were major global trading centers for Neolithic Chinese painted pottery. Description: This painted pottery basin from the Majiayao culture, decorated with multiple layers of geometric stripes, is a classic grain storage vessel from Neolithic tribes living in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in the Gansu-Qinghai region. It could also have been used as a small sacrificial offering and is a typical Majiayao vessel type. It features a wide opening, a short, tapering neck, a broad, folded belly, and a shallow, flat bottom, with a rounded and symmetrical overall outline, making it one of the most representative basin shapes of Majiayao pottery. The multiple layers of geometric stripes are the core decorative pattern of Majiayao painted pottery; the abstract lines symbolize rivers, farmland, the sun and moon, and various natural creatures, carrying the ancient tribes' worship of nature and the totemistic significance of agricultural civilization. The vessel was hand-molded using the coil-building method, polished smooth, and then hand-painted with hematite and manganese mineral pigments before being fired in a low-temperature kiln. The glaze layer is tightly bonded to the red pottery body, with only slight natural fading visible in some areas due to long-term burial underground. The original hand-cut marks preserved on the flat bottom provide important material evidence for the study of Neolithic pottery making techniques, prehistoric decorative systems, and primitive agricultural civilization in Northwest China. Well-preserved, complete Majiayao pottery is extremely rare on the world market. This pleated-bellied basin features rich decoration, a complete body, and retains a well-preserved original patina. It possesses extremely high archaeological research value and prehistoric art collection value, and is highly sought after by prehistoric artifact collectors in North America and small private art museums overseas. It is a high-quality core piece in the collection of ancient painted pottery.

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