Ryokuyu ware: jar.
Excavated from Dainichi Haiji Temple, Kitadainichi-cho, Yamashina Kanshuji, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
9th century
Height 17.5cm, Mouth diameter 11.1cm, Body diameter 21.0cm, Bottom diameter 14.0cm
Important Cultural Property
This is the only complete green-glazed ware with a lid missing, but it has been famous for a long time. At the time of its excavation, fragments of the crushed lid were found. The body is almost spherical in shape, having lost its shoulder tension, and the short, vertical neck and low base suggest that it dates to the 9th century.
The base is made of fine yellowish-white clay, which is easily worn off due to the low firing temperature. The glaze is a beautiful bright young green color, but the outer surface is heavily chipped from the neck to the shoulder, and the condition of preservation is not good. Uneven glaze from brush application is noticeable on the upper half of the piece, and there is some “nie” in some areas.
