At Hiroshima University Department of Archaeology, two kinds of decorated Sue ware vessels are exhibited: one ring-shaped ceramic vessel (kanjō hei) and a bird-shaped vessel (torigata hei). Both forms resemble flat water bottles (sagebe; hanging bottle) or sake vessels (hirabe; funnel-shaped jug, flagon with closed, wide vessel body). These two kinds of unglazed but decorated ceramic vessels were initially thought to yield only from the ancient province Aki (western part of Hiroshima Prefecture) in the 7th century AD.
In cooperation with the Shimadzu Techno-Research, Inc. and its facilities there was an opportunity to examine both vessels using X-ray computed tomography (CT) respectivly fluoroscopy imaging technique. An advanced X-ray CT fluorescence apparatus, Shimadzu inspeXio SMX -225CT FPD HR, which applies a high voltage (220KV) with a micro-focus X-ray was utilized to enable novel image processing to obtain clear images. Due to this state of the art scanner it was possible to clarify the manufacturing techniques of these Sue ware vessels.