This sancai-glazed phoenix-head ewer was derived from West-Asian metal vessels, which were imitated and adapted by lead-glazing potters of China. It has a moulded relief panel on each side, the one showing a mounted horseman and the other a fêng huang (phoenix) surrounded by floral motifs. The buff earthenware ewer is covered with a three-colour (sancai) lead glaze in the regular fashion of funerary vessels. It was made in two vertical halves, each half incorporating decoration and slightly flattened in body of oval section. These two parts were luted together so that the joint ran vertically up to the neck and spout. The handle moulded into vegetable sprouts at either end is a characteristic particular to this type. The spout, in phoenix-head shape, is blind, the only opening being at the top of the vessel. It seems that because vessels of this kind were made for tombs proper, pouring spouts were considered immaterial. The beak holds a pearl and the lip of the vessel is elaborately moulded to represent the phoenix’s crest.