RAF 2620 - Shang Dynasty Owl Vessel

Serial Number: RAF2584

Status: Display

Description:
This is a replica of a Chinese bronze ritual vessel in the shape of an owl, modeled after the Fu Hao Owl Zun from the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). The original was discovered in 1976 in the tomb of Fu Hao at the Yinxu site in Henan Province, China. Traditionally, a zun is a ceremonial wine vessel used by the aristocracy in rituals honoring ancestors. This replica features intricate decorations, including a thunder-pattern background, cicada motifs on the beak and breast, and snake designs on the wings—symbolic elements commonly found in ancient Chinese bronze art.