A long and slender neck extends from the round body of this simple ritual ewer (suibyō) with an elegant base mirroring the form of the mouth. A similar example dated to the Asuka period from Hōryūji Temple suggests that this suibyō, too, was once fitted with a lid. Its form is referred to as the "Prince-Type," a nomenclature that may derive from some association with Prince Shōtoku. It may also be a misreading of the similar characters that are read tamago-gata, meaning "egg-shaped."  
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