Ritual food vessel (ding)

How Shang-Dynasty Vessels Were Used

The majority of Shang bronze vessels were used in the preparation and presentation of food and drink in ancestor worship rituals. There were three main categories: vessels for food, vessels for wine, and (in far fewer numbers) vessels for water. The most common food appears to have been a stew or gruel, and food vessels often had bowl-like bodies. The food was removed from the vessel with a ladle. Wine was served warm, and many wine vessels had relatively long legs so they could be placed over a fire. Spouts were also required for pouring the wine into cups. The awkward relationship between the usual three legs and two spouts was one of the challenges for the designers of these vessels. Water was apparently used for ritual cleansing, and most water vessels had relatively flat bottoms and low rims.