A Chinese shipwreck pottery jar, of ovoid form with a wide, open mouth and four applied loop handles, raised on a flat foot. The upper body is partially covered in a brown glaze, leaving the lower portion unglazed. Heavily encrusted with barnacles, shell, and coral from over a millennium submerged beneath the ocean, the surface accretions adding to its character as an ancient maritime relic. The base bears a Chinese character mark in relief; though now largely illegible, it would likely have assisted in determining a more precise origin or kiln.
Tentatively dated to the late Five Dynasties period (circa 907–960 AD), the jar reflects lingering Tang stylistic influence, though it does not conform to a definitive Tang form or glaze type, making a more precise attribution difficult. Recovered from the cargo of a shipwreck in Indonesian waters.
Measurements: 13.5cm high x 12cm diameter.
Condition: As recovered from a marine environment, having remained submerged for approximately one thousand years. The jar exhibits marine encrustations and accretions consistent with prolonged underwater burial. There is associated loss and thinning of glaze, with areas of surface dullness and abrasion commensurate with age and recovery conditions. A slither chip is present along the side of the foot rim. The jar remains structurally stable overall, with these characteristics considered typical and expected for shipwreck material of this period.
Provenance: Private Chinese Collection, offered through Philips Auctions Australia on behalf of the deceased estate.
