World

Zulu head band of cowrie shells sewn on to cloth

Broken adze (all but cutting edge remaining). Stone. Dark grey, mid grey. Cross-section is oval. Surface of blade is mostly ground, some bruising on sides, butt is bruised, some flaking at poll. Depression is stone at front end of butt. Undifferentiated between butt and blade, sides taper towards poll. Bevel is demarcated by a curved line. Cutting edge chipped off. Nuggets. written on front.

The characteristic feature of Gerzean is the thin buff or grey ware decorated with designs in red. Shapes have been strongly influenced by stone vessels of the time. Many of the painted designs are based on the rush coverings in which stone jars were carried and hung. In the later Gerzean period, jars with wavy ledge-handles appear in profusion. There are also round bowls with ship designs, aloes, and all manner of birds, reptiles, and mammals.

Fengcai with flower design. Reign marks naming the dynasty and the Emperor were first applied to Chinese ceramics during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). In later centuries, however, the reproduction of earlier reign marks - in recognition of the excellence of a type of ceramic in that period - also occurred. This mark refers to the period of the Qing dynasty (1874-1909).