Bianhu wine vessel

myminifactory

With its distinctive oval shape and intricate brickwork design, this wine flask showcases a bold approach to surface decoration prevalent during the late Bronze Age. The triangular pattern on the neck and the dividing bands between the cast panels in the main body are highlighted with finely crafted copper inlays. This "feather curl" motif, evident here, appears in various forms across numerous other late Zhou bronzes and endures from approximately 600 to 250 BCE. The pattern was created by pressing carved ceramic stamps into the soft clay mold before the vessel was cast.