Bottle, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), 12th-13th century. Cizhou ware Stoneware with persimmon and dark-brown glaze over carved decor, 24.29 x 16.67 cm. Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton, 2000.93.2.1 © Minneapolis Institute of Art

 Cups, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), 13th-14th century. Cizhou ware Stoneware with persimmon and dark-brown glaze over carved decor, 5.7 x 10.8 cm. Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton, 2000.93.2.2 © Minneapolis Institute of Art 

This type of high-shouldered storage bottle is termed huanqing ping and meiping in Chinese. The accompanying white-rimmed bowls were reportedly recovered from the same find along with the bottle and, indeed, similarities in clay body and brown glaze suggest that they are products of the same kiln. The jar is wheel-turned with a carefully trimmed foot, shoulder, and lip. The persimmon color glaze is probably no more than a thin coating of the dark, reddish glaze suggesting that the bottle was dipped twice; first in a diluted slurry that resulted in the caramel or persimmon color, and then into the primary slurry that produced the dark brown outer glaze.