The calligraphic designs that adorn this vessel
depict a fearsome serpent-monster, a denizen of
the underworld. Though softened by age, the
bold lines convey the impression of latent power,
even danger. The abstract image suggests a
monster never actually seen but perceived
absolutely as real. The vessel was created for
burial in a tomb, and its contents were perhaps
intended to appease the very dragon that
appears on it. Even in an age that dismisses
these beliefs as myth, we cannot help but
wonder if such creatures once roamed the earth.
- (K.036)
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