Storage Jar (lei)

While still pliable, the clay body of this lei was impressed with a decorated stamp to create its overall geometric pattern. The high-fired greenish-yellow glaze takes its color from small amounts of iron oxide fired in a reducing atmosphere. The descriptive term used in the West for this wide range of grey-green glazes is celadon, but it is not a term used in China. Compared with those of later date, Han dynasty celadons are immature in quality, but they are important precursors to the accomplished celadons of the Six Dynasties era. Green ware vessels with glaze and decor similar to this jar have been recovered from an Eastern Han kiln site at Shang-yu, Chekiang.