A BRONZE 'GARLIC HEAD' WINE BOTTLE
China, Western Han dynasty

Circular base and globular body on the upper side of which a long cylindrical neck interrupted towards the lower part by a ring and ending to the top with a series of paired protuberances that recall the shape of a garlic head.

31 cm high

Provenance : Fabrizio Savi collection, acquired from Anthony J. Allen, Auckland, New Zealand, between 1995 and 2000.
Bottles of this shape, used for cereal wine, were made already during the Warring States period and became very popular during the Western Han dynasty until, in the first century B.C., the characteristic lobes towards the mouth did not fall into disuse. Specimens similar to this have been found in many tombs in the provinces of Hubei and Henan.