An exhibition retelling the story of eggshell-thin black pottery cups is being held at Shandong Museum. It brings together 15 rare artifacts from seven museums, highlighting the extraordinary craftsmanship of China's prehistoric artisans.

The highlight is a high-stem black ceramic cup, also known as "eggshell pottery" unearthed in Rizhao in 1973. It is famed for its ultra-thin walls and glossy black finish, with the thinnest part of its rim measuring just 0.2 millimeters.

The piece testifies to the remarkable level of craftsmanship achieved more than 4,000 years ago during the Longshan culture period, which flourished in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.

The eggshell-thin black pottery cup with a high stem is from the Longshan Culture period. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

A series of pottery artifacts from the prehistoric period is on display. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]