Museum Updates
Tri-color glazed pomegranate-shaped cup unearthed from Datong
Updated: May 11, 2026
China Bound
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Have you ever seen a cup like this? It is a Liao Dynasty (916-1125) tri-color glazed cup with three pomegranate-shaped bodies joined together. The upper half of the front section tilts backward like a lid, while the hollow lower half forms a bowl. A toad hidden inside raises its head. A bamboo-joint-patterned spout extends from the front, glazed in green, while the rest of the vessel shines in yellow glaze. Its imaginative design reflects the bold creativity and distinct aesthetic of the Khitan people.
Excavated in 1958 from a Liao tomb in a village of Datong, Shanxi province, this unique treasure is now housed in the Datong Museum.
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