Black pottery

Black pottery was popular in China during the Longshan culture of the late Neolithic period. The main type of pottery in the Neolithic period changed from red pottery (red pottery) fired with oxidizing flames to gray pottery (gray pottery) fired with reducing flames from the end of the Yangshao culture to the subsequent Longshan culture. Black pottery is broadly classified as gray pottery, and is blackened by placing the pottery in a highly reducing state in the final stage of pottery firing, such as by smoking, and depositing carbon particles on the surface. Simply black pottery is widely distributed in China, but typical so-called black pottery was born and developed in the eastern Yellow River and Yangtze River downstream regions, and is characteristic of the Longshan culture of the same region. It is mainly formed by wheel turning, and the clay is dense and muddy. The earthenware has mostly no design on its surface that has been polished, but string patterns and spatula-written patterns can also be seen. The vessels are mainly serving and drinking vessels such as high-rises, cups and bowls, with few cooking vessels. Of these, the jet-black polished earthenware known as eggshell pottery due to its thin walls, which was popular in the Shandong Longshan culture, is the most technically accomplished and exquisite work.

[Kiyotaka Nishie]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、新石器時代晩期の竜山(りゅうざん)文化期に盛行した黒色土器。新石器時代における土器の主体は、仰韶(ぎょうしょう)文化期の末から、続く竜山文化期にかけて、酸化炎焼成の紅色系土器（紅陶）から還元炎焼成の灰色系土器（灰陶）へと変化した。黒陶は、広くは灰色系土器に属し、土器焼成の最終段階において、いぶしなどの方法により、土器を強い還元状態に置き、炭素粒子を器面に沈着させて黒色化の処理を行ったものである。単に黒色の土器は中国に広く分布するが、典型的ないわゆる黒陶は、東方の黄河、揚子江(ようすこう)下流地方で生まれ発達したもので、同地方の竜山系文化を特徴づけている。その成形法はろくろびきが主で、胎土は緻密(ちみつ)な泥質である。土器の表面は磨研された無文のものが多く、弦文、へら書き文などもみられる。器種は、高坏(こうはい)、杯、鉢などの盛器・飲器が中心で、煮炊器は少ない。このうち、山東竜山文化に流行した、薄手づくりの器壁から卵殻陶とよばれる漆黒色の磨研土器は、その技術的にもっとも熟達した精美な作品である。

［西江清高］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例