Early Western Zhou Dynasty, 11th/10th century BC The elegant pear-shaped body flaring to a wide trumpet mouth, raised on a high spreading pedestal foot bound with a double bowstring, cast with a further bowstring below a band of eight zoomorphic crested birds centred with relief bovine heads featuring broad notched ears forming the handles, the interior cast with a two-character inscription, the surface with a glossy patina beneath bright green malachite, blue azurite and red cuprite encrustations. 21.6cm (8 1/2in) high.