Chinese Rough-Hewn Trough

Seven feet of stone, hollowed with a chisel and left plainly looking that way.

This rough-hewn trough comes from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 18th century. The material is stone. Chinese farmers used troughs of this kind to hold water or feed for their animals. Diagonal chisel marks cover the outer face and the long, round-cornered basin. The rim is flat and squared, and the sides narrow slightly toward the foot. Eighty-four inches wide, twenty-one deep and thirteen high.

Refinement was not on the work order.