Ronald W. Longsdorf, The Pottery Age: An Appreciation of Neolithic Ceramics from China, Circa 7000 BC - Circa 1000 BC, Hong Kong, 2020, pl. 72.

Ronald⭕ W. Longsdorf, 《陶誌：中國新石器時代陶器 約西元前7000年 – 前1000年》，香港，2020年，圖版72

The slightly domed top of the ewer is decorated with two circular depressions and an open spout, which, when viewed from above, appear to represent the eyes and beak of a bird or owl. The crenellated flange on the cover also resembles a bird' comb. Other Qijia culture ewers and covers rendered with faces are known and varying examples depicting a human face are also known, such as one preserved in the collection of Harvard Art Museums/ Arthur M. Sackler Museum, acquisition no. 2006.170.60. For another example from Gansu or Qinghai Province, see Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang collection, Vol. III, London, 2006, no. 1074.

Various theories have been proposed regarding what these whimsical faces represented and while some believe them to be ritualistic elements, it has also been suggested by Max Loehr that the potter could have been "induced to add a nose and two eyes on the dome, thus transforming it into a vaguely human face" (Ritual Vessels of Bronze Age China, New York, 1968, p. 30), in a very humanly manner 🌳that is perhaps more relatable to the modern viewer. Such theories, in fact, do not rule each other out, as it could also be possible that the 'spontaneous' faces eventually took on a ritualistic role.