This shard came from an earthenware produced during the Majiayao period (c. 3800 – 2000 BCE). It is a broken shard of a rim with painted stripe-decoration, painted with purple slip (a mixture of clay and water). It was then fired in an oxidised atmosphere (a kiln atmosphere which is rich in oxygen) at around 800°C. Earthenware is the technical name for low-fired pottery.The Majiayao Culture, sometimes referred to as the Gansu Yangshao culture, was in existence for two thousand years in eastern Gansu and Qinghai provinces of China. Distinctive vessel forms of this culture are waisted jars, urns with an inverted mouth and pair of handles at the side, and deep stemmed trays with two handles.
