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China

Goblet

Shang dynasty ( about 1600–1046 BC ), 12th/11th centry BC
Bronze
16.5 × 8 cm (6.5 × 3.1 in)

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● On view now — Gallery 131

Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · verified July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

This vessel, with a carefully balanced spout and pointed rim, was probably used to heat and pour wine during ceremonies of ancestor worship. The second character of the inscription, showing four footprints around a square, has been read by scholars as a family name.

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