Ding Tripod with Cover

Three-legged ceremonial bronze vessels called ding were frequently copied in less expensive celadon glazed stoneware during the Warring States period. Intended for burial with the deceased, the vessel probably contained food intended for the afterlife. The stamped, spiral patterns of the lid, upright loop-handles, and legs are done in rather close approximation of contemporary bronze vessels. Lidded tripods similar to this one have been recovered from Warring State tombs at Chongxian, Zhejiang province, an important region in the early development of celadon.