Northern Song dynasty (11th–12th century)
Donated by the Homma family
This Ding ware white porcelain bowl was fired in the kilns of Dingzhou in northern China. A white porcelain representative of the Song dynasty, Ding ware is characterized by an elegant ivory-like cream color. This bowl was fired with the mouth facing downwards, causing the glaze around the rim to peel off. As a result, the rim has been coated with a metal mantle. The bowl is decorated on the sides with hand-carved floral motifs featuring a single slit and six engraved lines. Ding ware featuring this kind of carved ornamentation began being produced in the middle of the eleventh century.