history

The gourd-shaped pot, which was used in the earlier period of Ancient Joson(early 3000 BC-late 2000 BC), is one of relics representing the culture of ancient Korea in its earlier period for its distinct appearance, the superior quality of its material and its distinctive surface decoration.

Most of such pots are not generally large with a height of about 20 centimetres and  their surfaces were ground smooth. They were made mainly with soft earth like silt and sometimes with a mixture of the earth and fine sand. They are mainly brown, and some are black or reddish. 

They fairly vary in concrete appearance. There are those with an upright or slightly shallow neck, a neck slightly pursed inwards and a relatively long and short neck and those with a roundish or longish body and with or without a handle. The handles also vary in shape, including those shaped like a water jar handle, knob or lips.

Not a few such pots were found in different historical sites unearthed in the Taedong River basin centred on the Pyongyang area, and they help understand part of the developed culture and customs of the contemporary people and of the course of the development of the creative making of earthenware.