Castor bean

[Zhukedou]

Zhukedou, in the late Warring States Period, has a height of 30 cm, a caliber of 14.2 cm and a weight of 2.34 kg
Bean-shaped round body, straight mouth, high column and round foot, without grain decoration. The inscription on the edge of the mouth is 9 words:
“The caster is the queen of the six chambers”
Remember that the foreign smelting and casting craftsman “Zhuke” made this bean for the Queen’s six rooms
Beans are special containers for holding pickles, meat sauce, and condiments. They are also a kind of ritual vessels and are often used in even numbers. Bronze beans appeared in the late Shang Dynasty and prevailed in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period
In the Chu tombs of the Spring and Autumn Period, only square beans with covers were found. In the late Warring States Period, high-handle bowl-shaped beans and shallow plat-shaped beans without covers were popular. Zhukedou belongs to the former, and the latter is not much different from the beans of the Qin and Han dynasties.

铸客豆拓片