Recumbent water buffalo
- Medium
- Bronze
- Dimensions
- 4 7/16 × 7 9/16 × 4 7/16 in., 3.5 lb. (11.2 × 19.2 × 11.3 cm, 1.6 kg)
- Genre
- Metalwork-sculpture
Tags
China
About
This resting water buffalo probably served a utilitarian rather than a ritual purpose. The holes in the back suggest it was originally some type of support and part of a larger grave object. The decoration consists of broad abstract bands against a ground of threadlike spirals, combining elements from both late Shang (c. 1300–1046 BCE) and Western Zhou casting.
