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Covered Rectangular Wine Vessel (fang yi) with Design of Dragons

Culture
Chinese
Date
11th century BCE
Material
Bronze
associated with
Henan province, China, Asia
Classification
Containers, metalwork
Collection
Asian Art
Current Location
On View, Gallery 233
Dimensions
height: 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)
width: 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm)
depth: 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm)
height of vessel: 5 in. (12.7 cm)
width of vessel: 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm)
depth of vessel: 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm)
height of cover: 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm)
width of cover: 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm)
depth of cover: 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm)
weight (vessel and cover): 4 lb. 12.8 oz. (2.2 kg)
weight (vessel only): 3 lb. (1.4 kg)
weight (cover only): 1 lb. 9.6 oz. (0.7 kg)
Credit Line
Gift of J. Lionberger Davis Art Trust
Rights
Public Domain
Object Number
127:1951
NOTES
This house-like vessel is decorated with three bands of designs. Such vessels are usually completely covered with decorative elements, but this was designed with large blank spaces on the cover and the body. The ritual use of this type of vessel was unknown until one was excavated with a ladle sticking out of it, indicating that it was a wine container.

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