Ritual wine vessel (the so-called Yayi jia)

Most vessels of this type were used for pouring wine during Shang rituals. This vessel, however, seems too tall and heavy and to have too high a center of gravity for this purpose. Perhaps it was made more for display than for actual use.

The decoration consists primarily of mythical animal masks (tao-tieh) and small one-legged dragons (kuilong) in relief against a spiral background of thunder patterns (leiwen). The handle features a horned beast holding a bird in its mouth. Although the meaning of this combination, as well as of many other designs on Shang bronzes, is unknown, it appears frequently on handles.

This vessel was reportedly found near the late Shang capital at Anyang in Henan province. It is similar in size and decoration to a group of objects excavated from the tomb of Fu Hao, a woman thought to be the consort of the early Anyang period ruler Wu Ding.
The inscription cast in the bottom of the vessel represents a man with a cross-shaped symbol on top of his head. Now read "Yayi," this symbol appears in many late Shang bronzes and is probably a clan sign.