Nara Prefectural Archaeological Museum. 6th century.
Height 39.1cm, diameter 13.3-13.9cm
Body diameter 20.6cm, Bottom diameter 19.4cm
The Museum of the Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, Nara Prefecture
This is a shimochi jar with four small covered jars of the same shape as the body attached to the shoulder. The neck of the mouth is not very high, and the lid has a high, straight rim, indicating that the vessel was made around the beginning of the 6th century. The short foot and the staggered two-tiered watermark are large, indicating the period characteristics of the vessel. The body is made up of three parts: the mouth and neck, the body, and the foot, which are joined together. The body is made by rolling up clay cords, pounding and tightening them, and then adjusting the surface using the kakime technique. The neck is decorated with a wavy comb-like pattern on the upper and lower sides, flanked by concave lines in the center. The clay used for the body is a rather coarse sandy clay, but it has been well fired to a grayish-black color. The small jar on the shoulder is larger than other shimochi jars, giving this jar a massive feel.
