Funerary jar

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The fanciful shape of this jar, with its six tubular spouts, is intriguing and remains difficult to explain. Urns of this shape, which were employed to store rice and other grains used in burial ceremonies, are among the earliest types of ceramics produced in the Longquan kilns located in Zhejiang Province not far from those producing Yue wares The latter are often credited as the first celadon in Chinese history.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art