Garlic Head Vase

Han potters often relied on bronze prototypes as can be seen in this vase, the exact equivalent of which exists in bronze. The globular body supports a tall neck terminating in a bulbous, so-called garlic head mouth. The design of painted red triangles can also be seen on painted, lacquer wares of the period. The combination of a bronze shape with lacquer decoration in a clay object designates the vessel's use as a ming qi or burial object. It is essentially a ceramic replica of a more expensive bronze vessel, like the one shown to the left.