Indonesian Ceramic Shipwreck Vessel

Herringbone stitching around the shoulder gives this footed pot a tailored look.

This shipwreck vessel is from Java Sea near Borneo, Indonesia, and dates to the 17th or 18th century. It is pottery. Funnel-shaped earthenware from the late Song or early Yuan periods is believed to have carried mercury, which alchemists long associated with immortality and which physicians prescribed for a variety of illnesses. Dark brown vessel with a pronounced shoulder covered in rows of tiny slanted impressions. The neck is short with a thick lip, and a stepped, flared foot supports the whole shape. The surface looks dry and smoky. It is 7 inches wide, 7 deep, 7.5 high and 0.21 in diameter.

Tailored with a tiny tool and enormous patience.