Selected Han Pottery: Donation by Mr. and Mrs. Tashao Shih

The generous gift of Han-dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) ceramics from Mr. and Mrs. Tashao Shih is exceptionally diverse and encompasses four major categories from this period: 1) pottery fired at temperatures generally not exceeding 1000°C, including painted wares; 2) lead-glazed pottery fired at around 800°C, using lead as flux; 3) high-fired ash-glazed stoneware, produced at temperatures above 1200°C; and 4) figurines depicting humans, domestic animals, and livestock.