Precious bronze work from the Western Zhou period

This Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BC) bronze zun vessel shows an enigmatic creature with characteristics of multiple quadrupeds, including horse, goat and deer.

With a curved neck, a short tail and four hoofed feet, the vessel is decorated with two wings on its body, a coiled-tail tiger on top of its head and two coiled-tail dragons on both its chest and hip. On its back, there is an elliptical-square opening, covered by a lid with a phoenix-shaped knob.

Intricate and elaborate dragon, tiger and spiral patterns adorn the whole vessel. Within its belly and inside the lid, there is an identical inscription of six Chinese characters.

Unearthed from Chang’an county in Shaanxi province in 1984, this bronze wine vessel is now on display at the newly-opened Chinese Archaeological Museum.