CHINESE
Food vessel
(Li 鬲)
11th century BCE-10th century BCE

Medium
earthenware

Measurements
16.1 × 17.8 × 16.9 cm

Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1939

Gallery location
Not on display

Artwork Details

Place/s of Execution
north China, China

Accession Number
3894-D3

Department
Asian Art

This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Gordon Darling Foundation

Physical description
Round, three bulbous legs tapering to points, impressed cord pattern over body. An ancient cooking vessel with three hollow legs to be filled with water which will boil when heated below. The boiling water in the hollow legs will boil and steam foods in a pot or container above it. It is the early form of steaming which is very popular in Chinese cooking. The present vessel was specially made for burial and for the use of the deceased in the afterlife.

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CHINESE Food vessel (Li 鬲) 11th century BCE-10th century BCE

Artwork Details

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CHINESE
Food vessel
(Li 鬲)
11th century BCE-10th century BCE