Jar with spiral decoration

Description

This large painted earthenware pot is representative of Neolithic painted pottery in the Banshan phase (ca. 2600–2300 B.C.) of the Majiayao archaeological culture. Banshan vessels are mainly limited in shape to large bulbous pots and urns, built by stacking coils of rolled clay and smoothing them before firing. Two-armed spiral designs are often painted on the vessel shoulders in black and maroon paint.