Mantou kiln
The mantou kiln (Chinese: 饅頭窯; pinyin: mántóu yáo; Wade–Giles: man-t'ou yao) or horseshoe-shaped kiln was the most common type of pottery kiln in north China, in historical periods when the dragon kiln dominated south China; both seem to have emerged in the Warring States period of approximately 475 to 221 BC. It is named (in both English and Chinese) after the Chinese mantou bun or roll, whose shape it (very approximately) resembles; the ground plan resembles a horseshoe. The kilns are roughly round, with a low dome covering the central firing area, and are generally only 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft) across inside.