Why did Longshan black pottery have a metallic-looking surface?

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Neolithic Banshan pottery: funerary urn — Chinese pottery Painted Pottery funerary urn, Neolithic Banshan phase, c. 3000 bce, from Yangshao, Henan province, China; in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm. Height 13.2 inches (33.5 cm).

The metallic appearance of Longshan black pottery was primarily achieved through the meticulous burnishing of the vessel's surface, which created a hard, smooth finish. This technique, combined with the pottery's dark gray or black body, gave the ware its characteristic luster.1

Furthermore, the highly skilled craftsmanship involved in the creation of these vessels—including the use of open-worked designs and the simulation of lugs and folded plating—suggests that the potters were intentionally imitating the appearance of valuable copper wares that were contemporary to the period. This stylistic choice reflects the transition of the Longshan culture from a lithic to a metallic culture, marking a significant advancement in the quality of Chinese pottery.1