Description
Early earthenware from the Three Kingdoms period is characterized by the jar's gray hue. Closed kiln chambers built on hillsides, which fired clay as high as 2000°F, maintained a low level of oxygen saturation. The loops on its round shoulder suggest that the jar once had a lid fastened by cords. The function of this type of large jar remains unknown, yet it is highly possibly that it was used to store harvested grains and seeds. The pounding technique (tanal in Korean) used to treat the surface strengthened the clay body.
Provenance
Mrs. Keum Ja Kang, New York, NY; (Kang Collection, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (1981–1981); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (September 18, 1989)
Accession Number
1989.88
Medium
gray earthenware with impressed cord design
Dimensions
Overall: 38 cm (14 15/16 in.); Outer diameter: 36.8 cm (14 1/2 in.)
Classification
Ceramic
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund