Pole finial, 12th-11th century BCE

Description

Ancient Chinese bronze pole finial, 12th-11th century BCE, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. From the finial's description on artsmia.org: "A combination of four masks appears on this bronze finial, which originally adorned the end of a pole. A forceful taotie (composite animal) mask with downward-facing C-shaped horns appears on one side of the top. This monster’s face forms a mask on a human head; it has the broad nose typical of early masks. On the other side, a ram’s head, with horns turned down, bites on a head resembling a taotie. This remarkable work demonstrates that men wore zoomorphic masks in ritual ceremony." More information: https://collections.artsmia.org/art/962/pole-finial-china