kruka, offerkärl, kärl, vessel, pot

Hu (formerly classified as lei) with cover. Bronze.
Jar with ovoid body and straight neck. Two loop handles on the belly. Domed lid with ring-shaped knob. Decorated on the lid with one row of ring-pattern, on the neck two rows of the same pattern. The belly decorated with a pattern of rhombs and triangles framed by elongated square spirals in sunken relief. On the shoulder birds and very stylized taotie-masks in flat silhouette against a spiral pattern in thread relief. On the top of the lid (in addition to the row of ring pattern) a band of stylized dragons, a zig-zag-band and a band of squarish spirals.
Li Xueqin & Sara Allan: Except for the rows of ring-pattern the rest of the decoration probably modern.
Inscription (inside of neck: 作母尊(with radical 170) 彝x "Zuo mu zunyi x" (the last character a clan name)
Late Shang, probably local style.
Light green patina with brown spots.
Gåva av Kinakommitten till minne av Bernhard Ka