White Pottery

Soft white, fairly rare earthenware made only in the Shang period (dates given for the founding of the Shang dynasty vary from about 1760-1520 BC; dates for the dynasty's fall also vary from 1122-1030 BC). Found chiefly at Anyang, China, it was probably made for ritual or mortuary purposes and was decorated with incised geometric patterns. It is made of almost pure kaolin and is very brittle; few pots have survived unbroken.

Fairly rare white earthenware made only in the Shang period and found chiefly at Anyang, in China. The Anyang white pottery was probably made for ritual or mortuary purposes. Its decoration seldom strays outside a narrow repertoire of incised geometric patterns. Fired at about 1100° C, it is made of almost pure kaolin and is accordingly very brittle; few pots have survived unbroken.