The Neolithic vessel from China as an expression of female fertility

A terracotta human-shaped vessel, excavated in China from the Jiaocun village site in Luonan county of Shaanxi province in 1953, portrays a woman whose head is slightly thrown back, showing a faint smile. According to archaeologists, this Neolithic artifact reflects the worldview of local people in the matriarchal society, expressing the dominant role of women and ideas linked with fertility and reproduction.