Gui food vessel, 12th century BCE, 7 × 9 15/16 in., lb. ( × cm, 4 kg), Bronze, China, 12th century BCE, Stylized animal motifs predominate Shang bronze decoration. The dragon, snake, cicada, ram, owl, tiger, and even elephant all make appearances. Yet these creatures were almost always less important than the taotie (composite animal) mask, which typically dominates the largest or most important register of nearly all Shang bronzes. This exquisite food bowl, an early form of the gui with looped handles that became prevalent particularly in the Western Zhou dynasty

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Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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