Bronze
1400-1200 BCE
China
The British Museum
Details
Culture/Civilisation
Ancient China, Shang Dynasty
Theme
Ancient Societies
Subtheme
Death in Ancient China – Ancestral Connections
Case Title
Ancestral Connections
Display Location
Coomaraswamy Hall
Findspot
China
Measurements
H. 27 W. 20 Depth. 20 Diameter. 20
Accession Number
1953,1214.1
Description
These vessels were used to make ritual offerings of wine and food, and often accompanied the dead to the afterlife. Their number in the tomb, together with the inscriptions and casting quality, indicated the dead person’s status.
The Gu was a drinking vessel, the Jue was used for pouring, and the tripod-shaped Li to cook and make food offerings.
