Water basin (Jian), Warring States
Contributor
Place of Origin
Culture/Period
Date From
-475
Date To
-221
Materials
Height (cm)
11.0
Length (cm)
27.0
Diameter (cm)
22.5
Accession Number
HKU.B.1954.0094
Description
This round water basin (Jian) was one of the most common types of bronzes during the Shang Dynasty (ca. 1600–1050 B.C.) to the Warring States (ca. 475–221 B.C.). During that period, the bronze industry reached its peak as a symbol of productivity development.
This water basin has a cow head-shaped animal with ears of mythic animals on each handle. Animal’s pattern was common on bronzes. Lozenge design can be found around the basin’s neck. Cloud and thunder veins, meaning the co-existence of clouds and thunders, can also be observed in this design. This kind of vein was commonly used on bronzes during that era.
This basin could be made by using piece-mold casting, in which the bronzeworkers produced the bronzes by using clay molds. They reassembled different sections by firing to form the bronzes. The bronzeworkers could produce products with a high degree of sharpness with this method. The piece-molding casting was the most used way in that period.
This kind of basins could be employed for several purposes. They could be used as a ritual vessel, washbasin, ice container, and even mirror (by using the reflection of water). However, the iridescence of this basin showed that it might have stayed underground and exposed to a high humidity place for a long time. This indicates that this basin could be a ritual vessel. The size, shape, and number of ritual bronzes could vary according to the owner’s social status.
This water basin has a cow head-shaped animal with ears of mythic animals on each handle. Animal’s pattern was common on bronzes. Lozenge design can be found around the basin’s neck. Cloud and thunder veins, meaning the co-existence of clouds and thunders, can also be observed in this design. This kind of vein was commonly used on bronzes during that era.
This basin could be made by using piece-mold casting, in which the bronzeworkers produced the bronzes by using clay molds. They reassembled different sections by firing to form the bronzes. The bronzeworkers could produce products with a high degree of sharpness with this method. The piece-molding casting was the most used way in that period.
This kind of basins could be employed for several purposes. They could be used as a ritual vessel, washbasin, ice container, and even mirror (by using the reflection of water). However, the iridescence of this basin showed that it might have stayed underground and exposed to a high humidity place for a long time. This indicates that this basin could be a ritual vessel. The size, shape, and number of ritual bronzes could vary according to the owner’s social status.
Citation
“Water basin (Jian), Warring States,” 3D Objects at UMAG, accessed October 5, 2024, https://digasst.lib.hku.hk/items/show/112.