Antique urn with writing on it - Any FReepers with expertise in deciphering (Oriental?) writing?

HairOfTheDog

[Tax-chick]

One of the characteristics of real old Oriental pottery, just like Native American pottery, is a very high quality of glazes. Some of the best old Chinese and Korean pieces simply can't be reproduced, because we don't know how they did it.

Yours looks 20th Century to me, maybe even Mexican-made ... but I'm far from an expert. Does it have any marks on the bottom at all?

[HairOfTheDog]

I wish I could take it to one of those "Antique Roadshow" conventions like I see on TV, where people bring in this stuff out of their grandma's attic, and, gosh darn if there isn't an expert there who can tell you everything about it! :~D

[HairOfTheDog]

No - no marks on the bottom.

[dakine]

Winner!

[jw777]

"Man with hole in pocket, feel cocky all day"

[Tax-chick]

I'd try books in the library, first. With no identifying marks on the bottom, you probably have a fairly recent piece. But if your mother likes it, that's what matters.

[HairOfTheDog]

My mom is gone, along with whatever explanation for it was offered when she bought it.

She said we could bury her in it, but we bought her a new one. ;~)

[bad company]

Doesn't look asian to me. Old european maybe? Whaddya think my liege?

[Rocko]

The letters are Elvish, of an ancient mode, but the language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here.

[COUNTrecount]

[MontanaBeth]

She said we could bury her in it, but we bought her a new one. ;~)

It looks like the urns I saw in a museum in Weaverville, California. They had a lot of Chinese, in the 1800's, that had come in for the gold rush. They buried their dead in these urns and then opened them to bring their dead back to China when they returned. The ones they had on display, looked just like the one you own.

[HairOfTheDog]

That's interesting... why would they open them back up to take them back? What did they take them back ~in~?

[MontanaBeth]

You know I don't recall the reason, it was some years ago that I visited this little museum.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, it's a very good bit of explanation I can look into.

[bert]

The script seems to be Cyrinic circa 3500 bc. The precise translation is vague but seems to be "Keep the lid on to keep the Geni in the Bottle"

[HairOfTheDog]

Dang... I wish it wasn't broken, I coulda used a Genie. ;~)

[hattend]

Joss House?

(I'm from Redding)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Interesting...keep us posted if you learn anything:)

Becky

[grellis]

rotflmao!!!!

[martin_fierro]

"At The End Of The Day, This Is An Ugly Boy"