Chinese Longshan Style Lidded Pot

A pointed knob on the lid, like a small hat with ambitions.

This Longshan style lidded pot comes from Henan Province, China, in terra cotta. The Longshan culture of the late Neolithic is known for its refined pottery, and later vessels often echo its clean shapes. This jar has a broad shoulder that tapers to a narrower base. A flat round lid with a conical knob sits on top. The surface is pale buff and rough, mottled with patches of gray, green and pinkish brown where it has flaked and weathered. It is 9 inches high and 7 in diameter.

It keeps its lid on, which is more than most of us manage.