Excavated from Bishamondaira Kiln, Iizaka-cho, Fukushima-shi, Fukushima
13th century
Height 10.6cm, mouth diameter 26.2cm, bottom diameter 8.8cm
Fukushima City Board of Education
This is a flattened mortar, a common type of medieval pottery. It is made of sandy clay containing feldspar grains and molded on the left side of the potter’s wheel. The side rim of the bottom is chiseled, and the upper surface is adjusted with a horizontal nadir. The bottom is flat. A portion of the edge of the mouth rim is slightly bent to create a one-sided mouth. The walls are very thick and heavy. It is well fired, with a blackish-brown color due to the strong carbonization caused by smoking. This is one of the few examples of a complete suribachi from the Iizaka kiln.