Pottery with Raised Design

Pottery with raised designs has been found mostly in the eastern and southeastern coastal regions of the Korean Peninsula, and its main production period was from around 6000 to 4000 BCE, predating the appearance of comb-pattern pottery. The raised designs were created either by attaching strips of clay to the outer surface of the vessel or by simply pinching the outer surface to produce thin ridges. This particular bowl-shaped vessel was excavated from the shell-midden site at Dongsam-dong, Busan. It has a very wide mouth that tapers down into a flat, narrow base. Just below the mouth, a clay band has been horizontally attached, which is decorated with fingernail impressions. The area between this horizontal band and the midpoint of the vessel is divided into a series of triangular panels, which are filled with narrow raised bands. Prior to the invention of pottery, only vessels made from organic materials (e.g., leaves, wood, or leather) could be used to store or carry food. Not only were ceramic vessels much more solid and durable, they were also well suited for cooking food. Therefore, the use of pottery helped to stabilize the human diet, which in turn made it possible for ancient communities to settle down and maintain relatively long-term residences.