Animal foot bronze tripod wine warming vessel (Jiao Dou)
Collection catalog number NMNS000719 is a vessel weighing 884 grams. It is 20.7 centimeters in width, 12.7 centimeters in length, and 14.2 centimeters in height, and made from bronze. Upon entering the collection of this museum, it was identified as a work from the Han dynasty. Jiao dou was a multi-purpose cooking utensil, characterized by a tripod base, with a long handle on one side and a body that resembled a small xuan. It was also similar to a diao, which was a covered warming vessel. In Guangyuan, it is written that jiao is a warming vessel with three legs and a handle. In Historical Records: Dialects, it is mentioned that it is called a diao dou without rising. Here, rising refers to the rim of a basin, meaning that the jiao dou is a three-legged warming vessel in the shape of a rimless basin. In the Kangxi Dictionary, it is mentioned that in the Notes on Diao Dou from Historical Records: The Biography of General Li, bronze was used to make the jiao dou, which was for cooking during the day and raids at night. In other words, the jiao dou was a military use cooking utensil and used as a signaling instrument during patrols.
The exhibited animal foot bronze tripod wine warming vessel has a body that resembles a small pot with a round base, spherical belly, bead-shaped lid button, and a mouth that resembles a rooster’s head, with a crest and pointed beak. Around the neck is a ring of feathers and chain with three links. At the base are three animal-shaped feet. Each foot appears to be from the mouth of an animal, which looks like a bear or a tiger. There is an area along the neck where gold has been used to make a repair. The entire vessel in covered in rust. However, it is well-preserved and in stable condition.
In the Xuanhe Illustrated Catalogue of Antiques it is mentioned that the Han dynasty bear foot jiao dou is 4 cun and 8 fen high, 3 cun and 2 fen deep, with a mouth diameter of 2 cun and 3 fen. It can hold at least half of 1 liter and 4 he and weighs 1 catty and 10 liang. It has a spout, handle, and three legs. The spout cover and handle are mostly in the image of objects. The legs are decorated with bears. The dragon head jiao dou is 7 cun and 8 fen and 2 cun and 3 fen deep, with a mouth diameter of 4 cun and 3 fen. It can hold 3 liters and weighs 3 catties and 1 liang. It has ears, spout, and handle. It is decorated with a dragon head and made of bronze. In the Kangxi Dictionary, this is explained as a vessel for holding soup. Based on this, it is deduced that the jiao dou used by the military as a signaling tool and the animal foot and dragon jiao dou are vessels of the same name but with different functions.
