Why a Korean moon jar is not a perfect circle

Named for its moon-like shape

The National Museum of Korea says the vessel is called a moon jar for its full, moon-like roundness. Its glaze is close to a warm milky white, and the body is softly rounded rather than geometrically exact.

Why the jars are uneven

Large jars can settle and shift during forming and firing, leaving a subtly uneven body.

The museum’s official video, shown with this story, focuses on the jar’s white surface and natural roundness.