A bronze ritual tripod vessel and cover, Ding, Late Spring and Autumn period, ca. 5th century BC | 東周 春秋 青銅交龍紋三足蓋鼎

The intricate entwined scroll pattern that is cast around the body and cover of this vessel strongly resembles designs on other ritual bronzes which were made at the foundry in Houma, Shanxi province. A vessel of this type and design in the collection of the Freer Galler of Art, Washington, is illustrated by Jenny So in Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1995, pp. 158-9, no. 20, where the author notes, p. 159, that vessels with the same "T-shape decor seem to come mainly from the Yellow River basin," and occasionally from farther north. She also mentions a very similar vessel in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm, and illustrates, p. 160, fig. 20.1, another similar ding and cover from Shanxi Tunliu Wujiagou, dated to early 5th century BC, as well as a drawing of an elliptical dou and cover from Shanxi Hunyuan Liyu, which shares the same scroll decoration, p. 161, fig. 20.2.