Project Description
This earthenware vase was created during the Han dynasty. The Han dynasty was one of the longest lasting dynasties in China, lasting upwards of four centuries. In terms of power and culture, the Han dynasty is considered to be a Golden Age of Chinese history. During this time period, Chinese culture thrived and great advancements were made in the arts, politics, and technology. Some experts believe that the first true porcelain was made during the Han dynasty. This vase is two-handled and was made in a low fire kiln. This Han Dynasty vase is smooth and has circular designs going up into the handles. In the spirals on the body were often bronze fittings, and this style of vase was often present in funerary settings. In fact, the reason that so many Han dynasty ceramics survive is because the Chinese during the Han and Tang Dynasties believed that people would carry their belongings into the afterlife and were therefore buried with their personal belongings.
-Charla Hamilton, Class of 2015