Week 2 Readings

4. Jars and vases: reading necks, shoulders and balance

Jar vs vase (a useful beginner distinction)

• Jars often prioritise storage: a controlled opening, volume, stable body

• Vases often prioritise display: silhouette, neck length, viewing angles, balance

Three stability rules for beginners (especially useful for home-making)

1. A wider base is safer than a narrow base

2. Tall forms need controlled drying and stage building

3. Smooth joins and even thickness reduce cracking

Function changes meaning

The same decoration can signal different things depending on use:

• a ritual vessel, a storage jar, and a display vase can share motifs, but their intended environments differ.