12th century
Height 53.5 cm, mouth diameter 19.3 cm, body diameter 42.6 cm, bottom diameter 13.5 cm
This is one of the oldest Suzu ware vases known today. Although the mouth rim has regrettably been lost and its mouth making cannot be seen, it is an imposing jar with a rare sense of weight. It is said to have been handed down from generation to generation in the Toki State of Noto, and the luster of its darkened surface gives a sense of its antiquity. The slightly fine-textured clay used for the vessel’s shape and technique, with its firm shoulders, small base, thick neck, and the dense, oblique, one-directional technique of pounding used in the molding process, are the oldest known. The four sides of the shoulder are stamped with a three-pointed seal. It is one of the best examples of Suzu large vases.
