Chinese bronzes | Ancient Art, Metalwork & Rituals | Britannica (original) (raw)

Chinese bronzes, any of a number of bronze objects that were cast in China beginning before 1500 bce.

Bronzes have been cast in China for about 3,700 years. Most bronzes of about 1500–300 bce, roughly the Bronze Age in China, may be described as ritual vessels intended for the worship of ancestors, who are often named in inscriptions on the bronzes. Many were specially cast to commemorate important events in the lives of their possessors. These ritual vessels of ancient China represent possibly the most remarkable achievement in the whole history of metalcraft before modern times.