Han period grain tower from an old engraving. The roof appears to be thatched

CLAY MODEL GRANARY URNS OF THE CHINESE HAN DYNASTY (224BC - 204AD) An Important Subgroup of Han Dynasty Ceramics by Ron O'Callaghan Go to The Han Dynasty: An Overview

We consider here the granary urns (think silos) of the Chinese later Han Dynasty period and the scaled down clay models of them, made for funerary and possible household use. Public and private granaries have been an institution in China since the beginning of recorded history. Their existence marked the emergence from subsistance farming. In fact, we know that a comprehensive granary system existed in Han China that ensured food supply in times of drought, strife and other calamities. These repositories of the people's collective wealth were placed in a strategic grid so that, in theory, anyway, no farmer was more than a day's journey from a granary. They were, in a sense, the peoples' insurance policy against want. Further, they are another example of how organized the institutions of the Han period were. Important as they were to the people during their lifetimes,

Figure 1 Clay Model of a Granary, late Han . Note the representation of a long ladder to the loft and cross-hatching that probably represents venting. 10" to roof peak, 3"x4 1/2" at base, roof overhang 1/2" at sides 1" at ends.

they became even more vital as people contemplated the afterlife. Scaled down model grain towers are represented in an important and distinct group of Han ceramics, with several subgroups represented. Besides being symbols of plenty they would also be important for the storage of food for the tomb's occupant on his passage through the afterlife. Among early scholars it was thought that the model granaries were made exclusivly for tomb placement. Many now believe that they were also household containers for milled grains. It is further believed that what at first were thought to be purely decorative grooves and ridges that encircle model granaries, are in fact, units of measure. The model granaries themselves, in their various sizes are also standard units of measure. As an experiment we filled a small granary with sand and poured the sand into a larger granary. The sand filled to the first set of grooves on the larger piece. Further, we tapped the side of the larger granary and there was a distinct difference in the sound once we reached the level of sand. So, the vessel's user would have an easy method of inventoring grain supply without opening the sealed granary. Chinese scholars refer to these model granaries as "jars of the five grains," those being the soya bean, rice, wheat, Panicum italicum, and Panicum milliacumm.

A late Han period crossbowman. Note the bolt (arrow) clenched in his teeth.

A late Han period bolt (arrow). The molded bronze point is set on an iron shaft that
would have been set into a socket in a wooden shaft.

A group of refuge towers/granaries of North Yunnan, east of Shanghai were described by S. Pollard (1903) as "built of dressed or undressed stone, burnt or sun dried bricks, and adobe. The roofs were covered with tiles or thatch. The towers varied in height from 45 to 75 feet, with bases about 22 feet square and walls three feet thick. Occasionally the granary might be fortified with a wall surrounding it and adjoining buildings. These walls were often battlemented in the manner of a city wall." The granaries were multi-purpose, during times of strife serving as refuge and fighting towers and in peacetime reverting to just the storage of grains. By the late Han period the crossbow had become highly developed. A shower of bolts from 45 to 75 feet up would have been daunting indeed to roving bands bent on mischief. There was no hope, of course, of starving the defenders into submission.

A grain tower in an enclosed barnyard. This is an engraving of a clay model, late Han

The first model granary sub-group we will consider are the roofed examples. These are usually cylindrical, but occasionally are found squared off in a more literal representation of a certain type of granary building (See figure 1.). The roof may or may not overhang the walls and it may or may not carry a pattern which can represent either external tiles or internal ridge and rafter construction or both. They may be footed or not, glazed or of plain clay. If footed, we usually find tripods molded in the shapes of standing or seated bears, or bear heads. These bear feet are molded separately and applied. These pieces can be found with nearly any or all of the above characteristics. These pieces frequently exhibit evidence of the processes of their making and of their handling by their makers. Palm and finger prints are often found. Glaze voids and clay projections called kiln spurs can result from the stacking or lining up side by side of multiple pieces during firing.

Figure 2, 10" high, 3 3/4" diameter at base, 3/8" roof overhang.

Figure 3, 12" high, mouth (rim to rim) 3", 4 1/2" diameter at base, bears 2" high.

In figure 2 we have a minimalist unglazed example of the roofed sub-group. The roof is unadorned with any suggestion of structure or style of covering. Its base rests on the ground with no intervening bear feet. Its cylindrical shape flares only slightly as its walls meet the roof and we have modest roof overhang. There are three simple encircling grooves. This piece carries information both from its maker and from the environment in which it rested for two thousand years. There are numerous palm and finger prints that were impressed while the clay was still wet prior to firing. There is also a lovely matrix of small root tracery on the body and base, with less on top. The leading edge of the roof has a small chip that appears to have occurred during excavation.

In figure 3 we have a more monumental piece. There is a bold flare of the body so that the walls come nearly flush with the roof. The very graphic bear feet rake outward, lending an hourglass shape to the overall piece. The roof bears two concentric grooves that are meant to represent three tile courses. Also on the roof are three prominent kiln spurs caused by the stacking of multiple pieces at firing. These three spurs are located at the top of the second tile course and correspond to where the tripod feet of a similar piece would rest were the pieces stacked. There are two other marks like kiln spurs at the outer edge of the roof which raises the possibility that the piece experienced a second firing with a dis-simular piece stacked atop. This piece bears a beautiful green glaze that has become finely crackled. The lighter areas in the image are caused by areas of adhering dried mud. We never remove these adhesions and advise that subsequent owners also resist the urge to "clean" the piece in any way.

Figure 4, 11" high, 6" diameter at base, 3/4" roof overhang.

Figure 4. This roof on this piece explicitely displays both external and internal construction. The round mouth is enclosed in a ring from which emanate four oblique ribs. Each of the spaces formed by the ribs is divided off by five parallel ribs. Between the parallel ribs are representations of curved end tiles. The larger four ribs probably represent internal roof ridges and the parallel ribs indicate internal rafters. This piece has a straight cylindrical body adorned by three sets of double grooves. The bear tripod feet are well detailed.

Figure 5, 8" high, 4" diameter at base, bears 1 1/2" high, mouth 2 1/4" (rim to rim).

Figure 6, 11" high, 7" diameter at base, 8" diameter at shoulder, mouth 4" (rim to rim).

The next model granary sub-group to consider are what we call the dome tops. They show no representations of roofs and their openings, in general, are smaller in proportion to other dimensions. The mouths have minimal or no lip or rim. They come in a range of sizes, the larger conveying a very substantial, squat presence.

Figure 5 is a smaller piece bearing three sets of four grooves. Its bear feet have wonderfully expressive faces. There are smeared fingerprints in the area of the three feet, incidental to their application. There is evidence of small root tracery, most evident on the base.

Figure 6 is a quite substantial piece and reminds us, somewhat, of a Sumo wrestler, not ony for its squat stolidity, but also for the rather fierce expressions on the faces of the bear feet. These bears are one half face and one half body. Three sets of two grooves encircle the body of the jar. Very fine vertical lines appear on the body as if the potter tried to give the piece a finish cleanup by applying a wet cloth (perhaps a brush) for the last few turns on the wheel. However, in the end, he left us a few of his fingerprints. Small root tracery is evident.

Figure 7, 12" high, 5.5" , diameter at base, 7" at shoulder, 2.5" diameter of mouth.

The granary pictured as Figure 7 features a domed top but not the squat appearance that most examples of this sub-group possess. It has a milk-chocolate glaze that extends from inside the mouth to the base and about half way down the bear feet. The lower half on one of the feet had broken off and reattached. Two single grooves encircle the body, one half way up, the other 1" below the shoulder. 1/2" up from the base is a bung hole for gravity feed of milled grain. On the top of the piece are three kiln spurs that correspond in placement to the tripod bear feet. Just below the shoulder is one glaze void that was probably caused by placement against another piece in the kiln.

The feet of some types of ceramic vessels are decorated with bears. The bear was a good omen for securing male offspring, being symbolic of strength and endurance.

The next sub group of model granaries considered here differ from the previous squat group in rising to loftier heights. Their direction appears to be up rather than out. They gradually taper outward from the base to a shoulder and then slant inward to a mouth defined by a short rim. Their bases rest on the ground without the tripod bear feet we have seen in previous sub-groups. Smaller examples of the type typically have two sets of encircling grooves, one halfway up the body and the other at the jar's shoulder where the piece reaches its largest circuference. Larger pieces have three sets of grooves. The Chinese call this particular form "sleeve jar" because it resembles the sleeves of a Chinese robe.

Figure 8 is a green glazed example of this sleeve jar type. We have no idea what the original glaze looked like because due to its 2000 year interment the glaze has oxidised to its present irridescent apearance. There are three distinct kiln spurs on the base of this piece, with projections on the mouth's rim which we also believe to be kiln spurs. This piece was made of a reddish clay.

Figure 8, 13" high, 4 1/2" diameter at base, 4" at mouth (rim to rim).

Figure 9, 12" high, 4" diameter at base, 4" at mouth, rim to rim.

Figure 9 represents probably the commonest form of a tall sleeve-type granary jar. Unadorned by glaze, bearing three single encircling grooves and with its base set firmly on the ground with no intervening tripod feet, it is both business-like and noble in its form and symmetry. There was no effort made in the finishing process to wipe off or brush out surface imperfections and many palm and fingerprints remain as a link from the potter to us.

Figure 10, 13 1/2" high, 5" diameter

The granary jar pictured as figure 10 represents yet another evolution of granary vessels. It shares some common characteristics with other jars discussed here, with its straight cylindrical shape and the symmetrical division of the body by means of grooves. The neck and rim are of a form similar to that of the vessels in figures 8 & 9. The peculiar feature of this specimen is its square base, which we assume is designed for more stability given the piece's unusual height. The four corners have been chamfered, so that its form is octagonal. The sides are 4 1/2" long. The bevelled corners or sides vary in length, two being 3/4" long, while the other two are 1/2" long. Only one of the long sides forms a straight line, while the others run in a somewhat concave curve. This base is not of uniform thickness, the maximum being a little less than an inch to 3/4".

Figure 11, 10" high, 5 1/2" diameter at base, 6 1/2" at mouth (rim to rim), rim 1" wide, Mouth opening 4 1/2".

The last model granary jar we will consider here departs in nearly every respect from those that have gone before. Figure 11, measures 10" in height. The diameter of its mouth is 4 1/2" and that of its bottom 5 1/2". The cylindrical part of the jar reaches a height of 6 7/8", and is decorated with three grooves, one halfway up and two at the shoulder. It is continued upward into a constricted neck with concave outlines, surmounted by a flat projecting rim. On two opposite sides of this rim are two round perforations, probably for the passage of a cord by which to carry the vessel. The glaze, a bright green, with beautiful mottling, is well preserved and covers a space of 1 3/4" on the interior downward from the rim.

Han Granary Models as Art

The Chinese idea of these vessels is is that they are a natural out growth of their ancestral worship and the funeral observances connected with that belief. The deceased was in need of food to continue his existence beyond the grave, and this food was to be well preserved for a long time to come. Solidly erected towers furnished the living generation the means of storing up grain for times of famine or drought. What, then, could have better served the purposes of the grave than an adaptation of this durable structure to clay? The vessel for holding "the five kinds of grain" thus naturally assumed the shape of the granary: it became the storehouse on which the departed soul could rely for its subsistence, imperishable and inexhaustable. Its firmness and durability were not least expressed by the representation of the tiled roof over the jar. The Chinese potter of the Han period was a full-fledged artist, to whom beauty of form was a prevailing law. The conception of the tower, roughly built of earth and brick, assumed under his clever hands a well proportioned, smooth, cylindrical form, systematically divided off by grooves at certain distances apart, modestly ornamented set on three feet, and crowned with an adequate roof partially covering the opening of the jar, -- in fact, everthing, even the details, arranged, measured, and proportioned intentionally to form a work of art.