古代炊器，多用青铜铸成。相当于现代的锅，煮或盛鱼肉用。汉许慎《说文解字》：“鼎，三足、两耳，和五味之宝器也。象析木以炊。”《玉篇》：“鼎，所以熟食器也”。一般鼎的形状多是体圆、腹大、两耳对立于口上，下有三足。大腹以容物，三足架空以燃火，两耳用以贯铉(又作扁，其状类木棍)便于抬举。传世大鼎有高三尺多的；最小有不逾四寸的。鼎的形制因时代而异。商代前期多圆腹尖足，也有柱足方鼎和扁足鼎。商代后期，圆腹柱足鼎占多数，同时分裆鼎增多，尖足鼎逐渐消失。西周后期，扁足鼎和方鼎基本消失，鼎足多呈蹄形。战国鼎多敛口，皆有盖，附耳，普通的鼎腹作西瓜形，足渐短小，盖上伏三犠，或作三环。秦汉鼎多敛口、硕腹、附耳、三短足、均有盖，盖上有三环。这时期未见有绝大的鼎，传世的大半约高一尺许。
Ancient cookware was often cast from bronze. Equivalent to a modern pot, used for cooking or serving fish and meat. Han Xushen's "Shuowen Jiezi": "A tripod, with three legs and two ears, is a treasure of five flavors. It is like analyzing wood for cooking." "The Jade Chapter": "A tripod is a cooked food utensil.". Generally, the shape of a tripod is round, with a large belly, two ears facing each other at the mouth, and three legs below. The big belly is used to hold objects, the three legs are elevated to ignite fire, and the two ears are used to hold objects (also known as flat, resembling a wooden stick) for easy lifting. The legendary cauldron has a height of over three feet; The smallest one is no more than four inches. The shape of the tripod varies with the times. In the early Shang Dynasty, there were many round belly pointed tripods, as well as pillar footed square tripods and flat footed tripods. In the late Shang Dynasty, the majority of round bellied column foot tripods were used, while the number of split crotch tripods increased and pointed foot tripods gradually disappeared. In the late Western Zhou Dynasty, the flat footed and square footed tripods basically disappeared, and the tripod legs were mostly hoofed. During the Warring States period, there were many cauldrons with a lid and ears. The belly of the ordinary cauldron was shaped like a watermelon, and the feet gradually became smaller. The cauldron was covered with three legs, or three rings. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the tripod had a large mouth, a large belly, an attached ear, three short legs, all covered with three rings. During this period, there were no extremely large cauldrons, and most of the ones that have been passed down are about one foot tall.
铜鼎是从陶制的三足鼎演变而来的，最初用来烹煮食物，后主要用于祭祀和宴享，是商周时期最重要的礼器之一。这件鼎为商代后期制品，至今器底仍保存有烟复。整体装饰繁杂、精细，圆润的鼎身配以圆涡纹、风鸟纹、蝉纹等纹样，造型和装饰协调自然，堪称商代铜鼎中的佳作。
The copper tripod evolved from the pottery tripod and was originally used for cooking food. Later, it was mainly used for worship and banquets. It was one of the most important ceremonial vessels during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. This tripod is a late Shang Dynasty product, and to this day, there is still a smoke replica preserved at the bottom of the vessel. The overall decoration is complex and exquisite, with a rounded body paired with patterns such as circular vortex patterns, wind bird patterns, cicada patterns, etc. The shape and decoration are harmonious and natural, making it a masterpiece in the Shang Dynasty bronze cauldron.