Page 88 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

Zhi 觶

The zhi 觶 is a cup which was used for drinking fermented beverages.
The name zhi 觶 appears very early in classical texts.

The zhi 觶 is cast with a bulging round body topped by a flared neck
and is supported on a ring foot. Very often this vessel has a dome-like
cover, with or without a knob in its centre.

Extremely popular by the end of the Shang 商 dynasty (circa 13 century
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B.C.), this vessel disappears around the middle of the Western Zhou 西
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周 dynasty (circa 10 century B.C.).

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Zhi, Shang dynasty, Yinxu period (circa 14 – 12 /11 centuries B.C.)
Height: 17 cm – Private Collection.
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