Bronze Drum with Twelve Chinese Zodiac Motifs (Bronze drum with crouching frog and twelve Chinese Zodiac motifs)

Generally well preserved. A pair of flat ears are missing and the upper section of the drum is broken with 4 small holes. Made of bronze. Rust and corrosion on the surface, which is grey-green in colour. The drum is small in size. The body of the drum is short and squat and has 4 casting marks. The top surface is smaller than the upper section of the drum, but is extended slightly wider than the neck of the drum. The curves on the upper, middle and lower sections of the drum are smooth. There is a bulging ribbed band around the middle section. Two pairs of long, flat ears are attached to the sides of the upper section of the drum. Ten single-lined rings of decreasing size are cast on the top surface of the drum, one inside the other. At the centre, there is a sun with twelve rays, which are thick and short. Other pattern designs include “?”-shaped decorations, clouds, studs, combs, flying flags and twelve Chinese Zodiac motifs. Among these, the flying flags and twelve Chinese Zodiac motifs are the main designs. The upper section of the drum is decorated with studs, cloud and comb patterns, whereas the lower section has multi-line angular shape patterns.