White Pottery Dou Container with Carved Decoration

In daily life the dou was used to serve condiments such as pickles and meats. In bronze assemblages the dou was a ritual vessel. White ceramics appeared as early as the late Neolithic. By the Shang dynasty, due to increases in kiln temperatures and finer clays, the clay of these ceramics became finer and whiter. The elaborate carving techniques show the high level of development of late Shang white ceramics.