Gansu

Refers to a Chinese Neolithic culture dating to ca. 3300 BCE to the beginning of the Bronze Age. It geographically covered western Shaanxi province, Gansu and Qinghai provinces, but since the most striking pottery comes from sites in Gansu, the culture takes this name. Gansu culture falls into three major phases: Majiayao (ca. 3300-ca. 2100 BCE), Banshan (ca. 2800-ca. 2300 BCE) and Machang (ca. 2000-ca. 1800 BCE). These were followed by the Qijia (ca. 2000-ca. 1600 BCE), Xindian, and Shajing phases. The finest Gansu ceramic vessels are thin-bodied and light, with a variety of boldly painted decoration. Clay was carefully selected and prepared and painted decoration was done in earth pigments probably applied with a soft brush. The most notable vessel type made during this period was the funerary urn with a wide shoulder and narrow base.