Glazed stone-paste ear-cup

Late Eastern Zhou period, 3rd century BC

This 'ear-cup', as known for the handles at the sides which are thought to resemble the ears on a face, is a survival of a very labour intensive and highly specific glazing technique that seems to have been abandoned in succeeding centuries.  The vivid blue, yellow, brown and white elements that form the pattern - essentially dots and C-shapes - are built up of layers of glaze fired to just short of their melting point so that their form is preserved.