The Neolithic Period of Chinese ceramics started about twelve thousand years ago and extended to eight thousand years ago when metallurgy emerged and pottery dropped to the wayside. During that time, the making of simple food and utensils – with decoration – were commonplace for ceremonial and ritual earthenware.
Understanding of this “pre-history” came in the 1920s when two distinctly different styles were identified: Yang-shao and Lung-shan painted ware.
Graves in Pan-Po village in Kansu Province provided quality examples in funerary pottery and so the Kansu style became the finest standard of painted funerary pottery.
This stunning piece is from the late Kansu style. It was acquired from a gentleman in New York City USA who had political and scientific connections with Chinese officials who were in charge of archaeological digs in the north provinces in the 1980s. Additional provenance is unclear.
For the Serious Collector.