# Bird-shaped Urn

- Date: 2650–2350 BCE
- Medium: earthenware with slip-painted decoration
- Classification: Ceramic
- Dimensions: Overall: 26.7 x 31.1 x 27.9 cm (10 1/2 x 12 1/4 x 11 in.)
- Culture: Northwest China, Neolithic period, Majiayao culture, Banshan phase (2650–2350 BCE)
- Credit line: Gift of Dr. Norman Zaworski in honor of Dr. Ju-hsi Chou
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/2007.276)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2007.276/2007.276_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

An imaginative shape and abstract curvilinear patterns lend delightful charm to this functional jar. Its fine-grained body has a light reddish color due to the iron content in the clay, achieved by ensuring abundant air in the kiln during the firing. The surfaces were burnished before applying the painted decoration in black and red.