Source: CCTV.com

07-16-2008 09:01

A rare porcelain pillow has been excavated from a grave in Xiangfan, in central China's Hubei Province. The pillow is believed to have come from the Song Dynasty and is thought typical of northern China's kiln production.

A rare porcelain pillow has been excavated from a grave in  Xiangfan, in central China's Hubei Province.(Photo: CCTV.com)

The pillow is the first of its kind ever discovered. The top of the hemi-circle pillow was painted with peony blossoms. Yellow flowers and green leaves appear on a white ground. Though the pillow has sustained slight damage, it remains a work of exquisite craftsmanship.

Archaeologists believe the owner of the porcelain pillow probably was a noble woman. Most pillows of ancient times were quadrate. This one is a half circle and it's hollow. So craftsmen of a thousand years ago possessed the technique to create a comfortable pillow for sleeping, from porcelain.

Editor:Liu Fang