Page 26 - Deydier Early Chinese Bronzes

• in tomb M6 the archaeologists discovered a
pottery he 盉 vessel together with a bronze jue 爵.
• tomb M9 contained two pottery he 盉 vessels,
a bronze jue 爵 (M9:2) and a ritual bronze
jia 斝 (M9:1), the first of its kind scientifically
excavated at this site and the first such vessel
attributable to the Erlitou culture 二里頭文化.
• tomb M11, the richest and most standard of all,
contained a pottery he 盉 vessel, a bronze jue 爵
(M11:1), a small bronze ling 鈴 bell (M11:2)
and a bronze 銅 牌 plaque decorated with a
stylised taotie 饕餮mask entirely encrusted with
turquoise (M11:7).
Drawing of plaque M57:4
Between the autumn of 1986 and the spring
of 1987 several tombs from Periods II,
III and IV of the Erlitou culture were
excavated. The richest in terms of burial
objects was tomb M57 which was dated to
Period IV of the Erlitou culture and which
contained 8 jades, 9 pieces of pottery,
including one he 盉, and 4 bronze objects,
including one jue 爵 (M57:1) 16.4 cm high,
Ling bell 鈴 M57:3
a small ling bell 鈴 (M57:3) 8.45 cm high,
a bronze turquoise encrusted plaque 綠松石鑲嵌青銅牌飾 (M57:4)
15.9 cm long and a dao knife 刀 (M57:2) 34 cm long.

Drawing of jue 爵 M57:1 Jue 爵 M57:1

Right page: plaque M57:4

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