Tripod with flaring mouth

Developed by the Longshan culture in Shaanxi and Henan, tripod li without handles were popularized during the Shang in the Central Plains and the shape spread widely into the south central region by the Zhou. Distinctive from most Zhou li, which were finished with rough gray surfaces commonly stamped with cord marks, this piece has a burnished brown surface that suggests the vessel was probably intended to serve as a substitute for bronze. This li has a slightly rounded belly tapering to three solid feet. Among Western Zhou tripods, this type of li, with semi-arching feet descending from a low crotch and marked with grooves, has been unearthed mainly in Henan.