Ancient black pottery plate captures a flying swallow

Many black pottery pieces with incised and polished motifs have been discovered in the royal tombs of the Zhongshan State (414-296 BC) in Pingshan county, Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, representing the peak of Chinese pottery craftsmanship during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). This plate is one of them.

At its center rises a column topped with a swallow lifting its head and spreading its wings. Along its rim, two rows of S-shaped motifs encircle the plate, while the inner walls are filled with curled cloud and triangular designs. When water is poured inside, there is a lively scene – a swallow skimming over rippling waves.

Unearthed from the tomb of King Cuo of Zhongshan State, this black pottery plate is now housed in the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.