H 11 1/2 in., mouth 8 7/8 in X 8 7/8 in.This was a very rare ritual wine vessel of the Shang Dynasty (BC1600-1100). It was decorated with lambs at the four corners. Mythical animals with horns were also found in the middle of each side. It was postulated that these horns were actually the antenna of the Ancient Aliens. The Capitol Museum of China in Beijing had a similar one like this except it was much bigger than this piece. Therefore this piece was of highly significance in Shang history.四羊方尊1938年春出土於寧鄉縣黃材鎮月山鋪的轉耳侖山，被當時鋤地的姜景舒兄弟挖出，被黃材鎮萬利山貨號的老闆以400大洋收購，後他以1萬大洋出賣。由於當時許多出土於湖南的文物被盜賣出境，政府正在嚴厲打擊盜賣行為，高價購得四羊方尊的四位商人還沒來得及倒手，就被當時的長沙縣政府派人去文物的存放地長沙縣靖港鎮將文物沒收並上交，後在湖南銀行保管。同年11月12日，長沙發生文夕大火，3000年的古城基本毀滅。四羊方尊在之前隨省銀行一起遷往沅陵的途中，不幸中彈被炸成十餘塊。中華人民共和國成立後，1952年，中央政府派人追查文物下落並在原省銀行的倉庫中找到碎片，隨後被複原。1956年，湖南省文管會將四羊方尊移交湖南省博物館收藏。1959年被調往中國歷史博物館（今中國國家博物館）展出後，此後四羊方尊就一直留在該館

Patinated with rust