Yu with Faces of Deities

Early Western Chou Dynasty (1111 - 771 BC)

The yu is a vessel with a handle, and it was used in sacrificial ceremonies to contain a specially made fragrant wine. On the lid of the yu in this picture stands an owl, and the handle is decorated with two dragons and two monsters, each with an elephant's trunk, a bull's head and a sheep's horn. Two tapirs protrude from the rim. The base of the yu is adorned with double-bodied snakes. The four deities' faces (two on each side of the yu) represent the most powerful deity at that time, the God of Heaven. The animals and monsters decorating the vessel are his subordinates who govern the world for him.



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