Tripod on hoof-shaped feet

Ceramic tripods of the Eastern Han have been found in most provinces of the south. An unusual shape synthesizing diverse bronze tripods, known as jiaohu, was used to warm liquor. The jiaohu form was simultaneously produced in bronze, ceramic, and iron mostly in Guangdong, Hunan, and to a lesser extent in Guangxi. The tubular handle, sometimes with two vertical holes at the end, typically held a wooden handle inside. The greatest technical advance of the Guangdong ceramic industry during the middle part of the Eastern Han dynasty was the development of a thicker glaze with a more even consistency than ever before, an advancement that can be observed in this piece.