Ritual wine vessel with lid and handle (you)

These additional variants of the you category of vessels have only two features in common: massive swing handles and tight-fitting lids.
The main decorative motifs of the cylindrical vessel (B60B1002) have incised details and stand in fairly high relief against a dense background or fine meanders. The cover consists of a mushroom-shaped knob, a dome and a vertical rim. The knob is incised with a whorl-circle. The dome is divided into four sections by flanges with I and T-shaped scores. Two or these flanges serve as axes for four taloned, confronted dragons forming taotie masks. The vertical rim, which is equipped with two pointed tongues fitting in notches located on the mouth rim, is really treated as an upper neck band, as amply indicated by the presence of the sharp overhanging ridge that separates it from the dome. This vertical rim is divided into four panels by small, vertical ridges. Each panel contains a couple of bunked dragon; with heart-shaped ears. The body proper displays one main and three secondary zones of decoration. The neck belt contains four sections delineated by two axial animal heads in high relief and by the tenons of the handle. Each section is decorated with a regardant dragon whose single horn is bottle-shaped. The upper belly band is also divided into four panels by scored flanges with a single spur. Each panel comprises a couple of beaked dragons. The lower belly band, which is also the main zone of decoration. i, similarly partitioned by flanges with two spurs in the upper section. Four large taloned dragons are confronted two by two to form taotie masks with hilt-shaped shields. Each of the four panels of the narrow foot band contains two dragons similar to those or the lid but presented counterclockwise.

Only the upper part of the bow-shaped handle is decorated. Four sections, delineated by three lozenges in high relief and by the terminal animal heads in the round, display the same unusual motif that can be interpreted as a horned cicada.
Of youthful appearance - a refreshing note in this other wise rather stern vessel - the animal heads are ovine or bovine derivations.