Prunus Vase with Inlaid Lotus and Reed Design

1300s

Prunus Vase with Inlaid Lotus and Reed Design, 1300s. Korea, Goryeo period (918-1392). Celadon ware with inlaid white and black slip decoration; overall: 33 cm (13 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of John L. Severance 1918.472 As early as the seventh century, the practice of drinking tea and wine became an important part of elite culture in Korea. Once used to store alcoholic beverages, this type of vase features a wide body followed by a sharply rounded shoulder, a short neck and a small opening. Most of the remaining examples no longer have a lid, but originally it may have had a lid that not only covers the opening, but also served as a cup. Prunus vases are often believed to contain a branch of plum blossoms, but recent research reveals that these lidded vases were also used to contain cooking liquid such as sesame oil.