Chinese researchers decode 3,000-year-old bull shaped bronze vessel

Addis Ababa, August 23, 2025 (FMC) – A rare 3,000-year-old bull-shaped bronze vessel has become a centrepiece of the Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China. Unearthed at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Yinxu Ruins, the former capital of the Shang dynasty, it is the only bronze of its kind ever discovered there, TV BRICS reported, citing its partner Global Times.

Using high-resolution scans and digital modelling, researchers at Northwest Polytechnical University reconstructed the vessel’s manufacturing process, identifying the right hind leg as the pouring gate deliberately chosen by Shang craftsmen.

This decision, according to the report, reduced casting defects and allowed the molten bronze to flow smoothly.

Despite the complexity, the relic maintains a uniform 3mm wall thickness, thickened only at the hooves for extra support, all achieved without modern tools.

Beyond its technical sophistication, the vessel also carries deep cultural meaning. Composed of around 90 per cent bronze and 10 per cent tin, the purity of the alloy is thought to reflect the high status of its owner.

Excavated in 2000 from a tomb in the palatial zone of the ruins, the wine container is believed to have belonged to Ya Chang, a tribal leader of the southern Shang territories. Its surface motifs of dragons, birds and tigers further underline its ritual and symbolic significance.

Scholars say these types of artefacts reveal not only the beliefs and aesthetics of the Shang dynasty, but also a sophisticated system of craftsmanship that still resonates today.