White Pottery Dou with Cloud and Thunder Patterns

Accession No. R000107_1
Period Shang Dynasty
Material Pottery
Findspot Tomb No. 338 Hsiao-t'un, Yin-xu Site
Geographic Location Hsiao-t'un village, Anyang, Honan province, China
Dimension H. 10.6 cm; Diam. of rim 17 cm

Description

A small amount of white pottery was found in the site of Yin Xu, only a limited number of which are complete. In Tomb No. 338 a pair of identical white dou pedestal dishes were excavated; the vessels have open rims, thickened lips, shallow bodies, flat bottoms and high ring foot. Decoration on the vessels includes a double band of raised lines below the rim, while between the lower body and the ring foot yunleiwen “cloud and thunder” patterns have been engraved. Further decoration is present on the top of the ring foot, consisting of a band of spiral patterns; at the bottom of the foot, a band of animal-mask patterns was incised. Finally, inside the ring foot the character Yue has been engraved.