Excavated from Nikaido, Kamakura, Kanagawa
13th century
Height 34.8 cm, mouth diameter 13.8 cm, body diameter 26.2 cm, diameter 14.2 cm
This urn is said to have been excavated from under a five-story pagoda at the site of an abandoned temple in Nikaido. Kose-do four-mimi jars have been excavated from medieval cemeteries in the area of Nikaido and other parts of eastern Japan as storage urns. It seems that these four-mimi jars were originally made as storage vessels, rather than as daily storage vessels.
This four-lobed jar is relatively early among Kosedo ware, and is thought to have been made in the latter half of the 13th century based on its form, glaze tone, and design. The slightly open outer edge of the pot is heavy and sturdy, and the stable base and three-jointed design on the shoulder are typical of this period. Three small chrysanthemum seal flowers are stamped between the four shoulder edges. This is an early technique of seal flower design, but it is rare for a four-lobed jar to have a design other than the eye line. The ash glaze is slightly thickened with feldspar, but the glaze is not yet stable, and the flow-streaking is still noticeable. The firing is very good. There are four spots of clay deposits on the rim of the mouth.
