Black Pottery Owl-Shaped Jar A Bird Flying in the Afterlife This item is being listed as part of a collection organization from the Han Dynasty. Former Han (206 BCE - 8 CE) Height: Approximately 15 cm A "shio" (鴟鴞) is a mythical bird in the shape of an owl. Vessels of this form were actively produced in bronze ware during the Shang Dynasty. Owls, which dominate the night, were revered by the ancient Chinese and incorporated into the forms of ritual vessels. It is likely that this vessel held wine offered to the deceased being sent to the underworld. According to the explanatory text for a scops owl in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, owls and scops owls are thought to fly through the dark night, and therefore, they were believed to fly through the afterlife shrouded in darkness. It is likely that this funerary object was thought to freely travel between the "afterlife" and the "living world" for its owner after burial. Indeed, it is a fitting funerary object. I believe this to be of considerable value, but I am listing it at a bargain price. Thank you for your consideration. #Antiques #Antique #Northern and Southern Dynasties #Tang Sancai #Ornament #Pottery #Tea Ceremony Utensils #Jar