Fangjia wine vessel, 13th-12th century BCE

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Fangjia wine vessel, 13th-12th century BCE, now showcased at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The vessel's design was a popular trend in late Shang era ceramics, where craftsmen would transform round vessels into square versions, giving birth to a new type known as fangjia or "squared jia." This unique style featured a quadrangular shape and a rectangular cross-section. On each side, the largest panel displayed taotie masks, which are composite-animal designs, alongside stylized animals typical of Shang era art.