Neolithic Period, Late Neolithic, Majiayao Culture

Height: 33.4 cm, Mouth diameter: 9.2 cm

Unearthed in 1974 at Liuwan, Ledu County, Qinghai Province

This painted pottery ewer has a small mouth and a bulging belly, with a pair of symmetrical double-loop handles on either side of the abdomen. The upper belly is decorated with black painted motifs, and the neck is relatively tall. Between the painted designs on the vessel body, a nude human figure is modeled in relief by hand.

This painted pottery ewer combines relief sculpture and painting into a single work and is hailed as a rare artistic treasure. The distinctive decorative motifs indicate that it was not a utilitarian vessel but rather a ritual or funerary item made specifically for burial. It is generally believed to represent an androgynous figure combining both male and female attributes, a form of dual-gender worship associated with ancient shamanistic beliefs.