Chinese Shipwreck Funnel-Form Mercury Storage Vessel

Rusty at the shoulders and pale below, like a pot with a sunburn.

This shipwreck funnel-form mercury storage vessel is from Cizao Kilns, Fujian Province, China. It is stoneware. Ceramics fired and glazed at high temperatures could stay unaffected for centuries underwater, especially when buried beneath silt, while most other trade cargo was destroyed, swept away or disintegrated over time. Tapering vessel with a rounded top and a tiny central opening. The upper body is warm orange-brown, blending into pale gray below, with rough texture, white flecks and slight dents. It is 4 inches wide, 4 deep and 7 high.

Good looks from the top, and good bones from the bottom.