Ding food vessel, 12th-11th century BCE, 10 1/4 × 7 9/16 × 6 5/16 in., 10.6 lb. (26.1 × 19.2 × 16 cm, 4.8 kg), Bronze, China, Anyang style, The ding food cauldron was the most prominent type of ritual vessel in Chinas Bronze Age. It was among the first cast vessels, and the earliest example was unearthed from the Erlitou culture (c. 2000-1600 BCE) site. Ding were used to cook meat during a ceremony devoted to ancestral spirits. The vertical handles allowed the vessel to be placed over a fire. There were many variations of the ding. This example with squared body is known as fang-ding, or squared ding. The dominant taotie animal-mask motif appears on each face of the vessel, divided by flanges on four corners.