Pou 瓿 (ritual vessel)

This vessel is contemporary with Shang-dynasty bronzes from Anyang, but it was not cast there. Unusual characteristics of its decorative program, such as the hooked flanges, the rams’ heads adorning the shoulders, and technical features of the casting reveal that it was the product of a foundry located in the Yangzi River region. Little is known about early Bronze Age civilization in southern China. Because ancient histories only mention the existence of dynasties located in the Central Plains, archaeologists have been slow to look for evidence of advanced bronze-using societies in other regions. However, chance finds in the south of spectacular bronzes different in character from those found in the Central Plains suggest that the region must have been home to impressive kingdoms. One quarter of the vessel’s exterior has been stripped down to the original casting to reveal the extent of its modern restorations.