Fang Ding from the Late Shang Dynasty

Fang Ding from the Late Shang Dynasty

This Fangding (food container) from the late Shang Dynasty in the 11th century BC is now in the collection of the Minneapolis Museum of Art in the United States. This square tripod, also known as the 'square tripod', showcases an interesting development in tripod design. Although it is still a square box shaped container standing on four columnar legs, the decoration shows a tendency towards abstraction, which may have been influenced by contemporary textile design.