You never thought people from 6 millennials ago have this sense of humour, making their food vessel so adorable.
National Treasure 国宝
Eagle-shaped Pottery Ding (Food Vessel) 鹰形陶鼎
Pottery | Neolithic Yangshao Culture (c.5000-3000 BC) | Dimensions – H: 35.8 cm, (Mouth) D: 23.3 cm National Museum of China Collection, Unearthed at Taipingzhuang, Huaxian, Shaanxi Province, 1958. 陶器｜新石器時代 仰韶文化（约公元前5000年一前3000年）｜通高35.8厘米，口直径23.3厘米｜中国国家博物馆藏，1958年陕西华县太平庄出土
Eagle-shaped Pottery Ding 鹰形陶鼎, in the form of an eagle, is among China’s most unusual pieces of ancient pottery. It’s 6,000 years old, originating in the Neolithic Yangshao Culture. Most of the painted pottery vessels produced by Yangshao Culture were for daily use. The eagle-shaped ding is the only piece from that period that’s in the shape of a bird.
This pottery ding adopts the shape of an eagle standing on its feet. The eagle has a sturdy body and strong legs. The wings are closed against the body. The tail sags to the ground and forms three stable fulcrums with the two legs. The eagle’s eyes are wide open, the beak is hook-shaped, looks strong.
The structure is simple, majestic and powerful, which shows a strong artistic tension. The mouth is set on the back between the two wings. They are tightly combined as if the eagle bears the ding on its back. This arrangement subtly blends the characteristics of ding-shaped artefact with the animal beauty of the eagle.
Boat-shaped Painted Pottery Jar 船形彩陶壶
Pottery | Neolithic Yangshao Culture (c,5000-3000 BC) | Dimensions – H: 16.5cm, D: 38.5cm | National Museum of China Collection, Unearthed at Beishouling, Baoji, Shaanxi Province, 1958. 陶器｜新石器時代仰韶文化（約公元前5000年 前3000年）｜高16.5厘米，直径38.5厘米｜中国国家博物馆藏，1958年陕西宝鸡北首岭出土
Yangshao culture (c.5000-3000 BC) is famous for its exquisite coloured pottery. The presence of this pottery shows that people at this time were not only good at creating painted patterns, but also had strong capability in pottery arts.
The eagle-shaped pottery ding was unearthed in a tomb of a female adult. Other artifacts were excavated along: there were more than a dozen bone daggers, several pieces of stone gui 簋 (food vessel), stone axes and a batch of living utensils. Stone guis, bone daggers and other items are usually used as ritual wares. This eagle-shaped pottery ding was placed in the same tomb-chamber as them. Considering its unusual form, this ding may be related to the sacrificial activities at that time.
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About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
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