Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Song Haibo) news: During the Spring Festival holiday, the Kashi Museum saw a surge of visitors. One artifact in particular became the center of attention: a 57-centimeter-tall pottery jar with a 28-centimeter mouth diameter from the Northern Dynasties period. This National Grade One Cultural Relic, also the crown jewel of the Kashi Museum, is known as the Three-Eared Embossed Pottery Jar. Visitors traveled from far and wide to see it in person, drawn by this thousand-year-old masterpiece that weaves together Central Asian, Persian, and Greek artistic traditions.

A close-up view of the Three-Eared Embossed Pottery Jar. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Song Haibo)

"This jar was unearthed at the Yawuluke Site. It has a large body with intricate decorations. What stands out most are the three handles, each molded with a Hu people's head featuring deep-set eyes, a prominent nose, and a clearly defined beard. It blends cultural characteristics from various regions," said He Wenjing, a museum docent, pointing at the display case on February 23, 2026.

"The rim is decorated with plantain leaf patterns, while the shoulder and belly are covered with scrolling grass and pearl roundel motifs. The belly also features ten groups of human figures. Five of these depict a king wearing a crescent-shaped crown and kneeling worshippers holding single-eared jars and offering bowls. These images clearly show Zoroastrian influence."

Visitors view the Three-Eared Embossed Pottery Jar at the Kashi Museum on February 21, 2026. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Song Haibo)

The jar is more than just an exquisite work of craftsmanship. It offers compelling proof that Xinjiang has been part of China since ancient times. Created during the Northern Dynasties when Buddhism held sway, the jar nonetheless brings together Zoroastrian motifs, Central Asian human forms, and ceramic methods from the Central Plains, vividly illustrating the region's historic role as a crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations.

Visitors view the Three-Eared Embossed Pottery Jar at the Kashi Museum in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on February 21, 2026. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Song Haibo)

"The jar was not found intact. It lay in fragments and was carefully restored by conservation specialists to regain its former glory," said Dilinar, an assistant curator at the Kashi Museum. After restoration, digital projection was used to magnify the decorative patterns, clearly revealing the texture of the plantain leaf motifs and the expressions on the Hu people figures, allowing visitors to more directly appreciate the craftsmanship of this millennium-old artifact.

This millennium-old jar carries the weight of cultural heritage, while digital technology breathes new life into ancient craftsmanship. Through digital projection, this long-hidden treasure now emerges from obscurity to meet visitors in a fresh and captivating way.

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