Celadon Aryballos

This is a bottle used to store perfumed oil or hair oil. Typically, it has a short neck and a stout body. Most oil bottles had a narrow mouth, which minimized exposure to air and light, and prevented oil from being oxidized. Oil bottles were usually made of earthenware and porcelain, and some were made of animal horns. Small bottles presumably contained oil for kneading cosmetics including rouge, and larger bottles seem to have stored skincare oil for spreading on the face for smooth and glossy skin. Hair oil was stored in relatively large bottles, as it was used in large amounts. The oil bottle shown here is a celadon oil bottle decorated with a cloud design inlaid with white slip. Among the cloud patterns, a comb pattern was inlaid with black slip.