Grinding Mill
Contributor
Place of Origin
Culture/Period
Date From
-206
Date To
220
Materials
Height (cm)
9.6 cm
Width (cm)
21.5 cm
Length (cm)
23.1 cm
Accession Number
HKU.C.1990.0930
Description
This grinding mill model comprises mainly of two parts: a rotary mill and a circular mortar or tray. For the mill, it has a round millstone. However, a stick that operated the millstone might be missing. Like other earthenware ceramics from the Han dynasty (206 BCE- 220 CE), the grinding mill has been buried in a moist environment for centuries. The patina in some parts (particularly the inner bottom part) of the mill has therefore changed into a luminescent green glaze. The inner bottom part of the glazed mill becomes shiny and light reflective.
Being a funerary object (mingqi), this mill is a miniature model of a grinding mill in real life. Farmers ground grains in the mill for food making. Unlike other decorative funerary objects, this mill merely has some curve-lined patterns on the outer surface of the tray. The reason may be that this mill was deemed as a tool for farming purpose in another world only and thus no fashioned designs or prestigious symbols were seen. As Chinese people in the Han dynasty believed that the afterlife was the extension of life in reality, they had to prepare daily necessities for their ancestors. Thus, this mill was buried with replicas of other relevant farming structures, such as granaries, and even farmer figures. People hoped to provide abundant food for the ancestors living in another world and keep their spirits delighted.
Being a funerary object (mingqi), this mill is a miniature model of a grinding mill in real life. Farmers ground grains in the mill for food making. Unlike other decorative funerary objects, this mill merely has some curve-lined patterns on the outer surface of the tray. The reason may be that this mill was deemed as a tool for farming purpose in another world only and thus no fashioned designs or prestigious symbols were seen. As Chinese people in the Han dynasty believed that the afterlife was the extension of life in reality, they had to prepare daily necessities for their ancestors. Thus, this mill was buried with replicas of other relevant farming structures, such as granaries, and even farmer figures. People hoped to provide abundant food for the ancestors living in another world and keep their spirits delighted.
Citation
“Grinding Mill,” 3D Objects at UMAG, accessed May 10, 2024, https://cchu9080.lib.hku.hk/items/show/95.