Item number: P1

Year: circa 4,000-2,000 BC

Material: Terracotta

Size: 34 x 35 x 30 cm

Weight: 3.8 kg

Provenance: Robert Ricketts 2025

This specimen is a painted pottery trumpet-mouthed jar featuring zig-zag motifs, originating from the Machang period of the Majiayao culture.

The vessel’s morphology is defined as a trumpet-mouthed jar, a typology that emerged as a novel form during the Machang phase. Its diagnostic characteristics include a relatively high neck that flares outwards in a trumpet-like silhouette, and flattened lugs positioned slightly below the point of maximum girth, featuring oval-shaped apertures. This form is further categorised into Types A and B, with the more slender-necked variants designated as Type A. Within the Type A category, more compressed vessels are defined as Type I, whilst those with a greater height are classified as Type II. This specific vessel type is predominantly excavated from the lower reaches of the Huangshui River within the contemporary provinces of Qinghai and Gansu, notably at sites such as Yangshan.

The neck of the jar is adorned with horizontal chevron patterns—essentially herringbone motifs orientated horizontally—a decorative element that has persisted since the preceding Banshan period. The shoulder displays a motif reminiscent of a palisade or fence, divided into two distinct but exceptionally short bands; the surrounding areas are filled with black pigment, creating a visual effect of two interrupted lines in the natural clay colour. Broad, bold zig-zag motifs in black monochrome decorate the belly, with short horizontal strokes interspersed within the negative spaces. A specific detail where a short horizontal stroke intersects a finer vertical line identifies this piece as Type A-IV; comparable designs have been recovered from the Liuwan archaeological site. Below the horizontal boundary of the zig-zag pattern, downward-protruding curvilinear lines are visible. It appears that a red slip was originally applied to the unpainted areas of the design.

When viewed from above, black interior painting is evident along the interior rim of the mouth. In contrast, the base of the jar lacks a red slip, and a single short horizontal stroke is present on one side. During the Neolithic period, the Yangshao painted pottery culture originated in the Central Plains and diffused westwards, exerting a significant influence upon the Wei River valley and the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The Majiayao culture represents the independent zenith of this painted pottery tradition in Northwest China, evolving through the early Majiayao type, the middle Banshan type, and the late Machang type. The Machang type was identified and named in AD 1924 by the Swedish geologist J.G. Andersson following his discoveries at Machangyuan; its primary diagnostic feature is the application of a deep red slip. During the Machang phase, large-scale ceramic vessels were typically constructed using the coiling method, where components were joined and subsequently refined using slow-wheel techniques. A slip—a refined mixture of mineral pigments and clay—was applied to the upper portion of the vessel to create a smooth surface texture conducive to elaborate polychrome decoration.

物件編號: P1

年代: 公元前約 4,000-2,000 年

材料: 泥質陶土

尺寸: 34 x 35 x 30 cm

重量: 3.8 kg

來源: 羅伯特·里基茨 2025

這是一個出自馬家窯文化馬廠時期的彩陶折線紋喇叭口甕。

陶器形制為喇叭口甕，為馬廠時期出現的新器型。特徵為頸部較高，頸口外侈呈喇叭狀，腹耳較扁，至於最大腹徑處偏下，耳孔扁圓。又分為A、B二型，頸部較細者為A型。A型中較扁者為I式，較高者為II式。該器型多出於湟水下游(今青海、甘肅省內)，如陽山遺址等。陶甕頸部有橫人字紋，即人字橫置呈「ㄑ」，自半山時期便曾出現。肩部似柵欄紋，但分做兩道，高度均極矮，餘處填滿黑彩，視覺效果呈現為陶色的兩道虛線。腹部為折線紋，線條寬粗，採黑色單彩，空白處配以短橫紋，有一道短橫紋下方與一條較細的豎文相交，被歸類於A型IV式，類似設計的陶器曾於柳灣遺址等出土。折線下方橫線邊界之下，有圓弧形飾線向下凸出。有圖案處之空白，似曾施以紅色陶衣。

自上而下觀之，甕口邊緣處有黑色內彩。相反地，甕的底部無紅色陶衣。一側有一短橫紋。

新石器時期，仰韶彩陶文化起源於中原地區並向西傳播，影響了渭河及黃河上游，而馬家窯文化則是這一彩陶藝術在西北地區獨立發展出的巔峰，其發展進程依序分為早期的馬家窯類型、中期的半山類型以及晚期的馬廠類型。馬廠類型的彩陶為公元1924年，由瑞典地質學家安特生(Andersson J .G.)於馬廠塬發現並冠名，主要特徵為深紅色的陶衣。

馬廠時期，大型陶器應由泥條盤築法製作器件，再對接成型，經慢輪技術整修。陶器上端施以薄薄一層顏料與黏土的混合物，稱為陶衣，使外表質地細膩，並便於彩繪。