A gray pottery jar with incised designs, Probably Angangxi Culture, 5th - 4th millenium BC 或昂昂溪文化 刻紋灰陶罐

Angangxi culture flourished in the middle reaches of Nenjiang River. Similar to other Neolithic Northern cultures, Angangxi pottery vessels are characteristically decorated with bold geometric patterns such as the elaborate incised design seen on the present jar. It is speculated that such geometric patterns are simplified representations of animals. On a closer look, the hatching-decorated forms on this jar vaguely recall the silhouettes of fish.