Simuwu Ding 司母戊鼎

年代：商
Period: Shang Dynasty
类别：青铜器
Category: Bronze
规格：高133厘米，口长110厘米，口宽79厘米，重832.84千克。
Measurements: Height 133cm, Length of Mouth: 110cm, Width of Mouth: 79cm, Weight: 832.84kg
出土地：河南省安阳市武官村
Excavation Site: Wuguan Village, Anyang City, Henan Province
现藏：中国国家博物馆
Current Location: National Museum of China
简介：
Introduction:
此鼎器形庞大浑厚，是中国目前已发现的最重的青铜器，其腹部铸有“司（后）母戊”三字；是商王祖庚或祖甲为祭祀其母所铸。司母戊鼎的鼎身和鼎足为整体铸成，鼎耳是在鼎身铸好后再装范浇铸的。铸造这样高大的铜器，所需金属料当在1000千克以上，且必须有较大的熔炉。经测定，司母戊鼎含铜84.77%、锡11.64%、铅27.9%，与古文献记载制鼎的铜锡比例基本相符。司母戊鼎充分显示出商代青铜铸造业的生产规模和技术水平。
Simuwu Ding, huge and thick, is the heaviest bronze ware found in China by now, which is named for the three Chinese characters "Si Mu Wu" carved on the belly of the vessel. Simuwu Ding was moulded by the King of Shang, named Zugeng or Zujia, for sacrificing his mother. The body and legs of this cauldron were cast as a whole before the ears were cast in moulds mounted on the body. A ton of metal material and a huge smelter are needed to cast such a grand bronze ware. Analysis shows that Simuwu Ding is made of copper (84.77%), tin (11.64%) and lead (27.9%). These figures basically match the proportions of copper and tin in Ding as documented in ancient literature. Simuwu Ding completely shows the production scale and technical level of bronze casting industry in Shang Dynasty.