Yexian Pagoda: Vessel

CHINA, Beijing; Liao dynasty

This vessel was found in a pagoda in the outskirt of Beijing in 1988. Created during the Liao dynasty, it is covered in a green glaze and has a wide base with a body that curves up gently to sloping shoulders. The long neck has a bamboo design and a narrow mouth holding a stopper, the base of which is decorated with a circle of upright lotus petals followed by a series of narrow rings. On the shoulder, there is an opening for filling the vessel. The body is decorated with various motifs: a circle of lotus petals surrounds the shoulder, while the rest consists of circular bead patterns enclosing a lotus petal interspersed with T-shapes around the middle, and larger versions of the lotus petals around the bottom.