The calligraphic designs that adorn this vessel depict a fearsome serpent-monster, a denizen of the underworld. Though softened by age, the bold lines convey the impression of latent power, even danger. The abstract image suggests a monster never actually seen but perceived absolutely as real. The vessel was created for burial in a tomb, and its contents were perhaps intended to appease the very dragon that appears on it. Even in an age that dismisses these beliefs as myth, we cannot help but wonder if such creatures once roamed the earth.