Drawing of an owl-shaped clay Ding -- a masterpiece sculpture that captures the incredibly alertness of the nocturnal creature. This piece belongs to the 仰韶文化Yangshao Culture (–5000 => –3000) of the Neolithic Period. A 鼎Ding is a vessel with three legs, a tripod; here, the tripod is formed ingeniously by the bird's two legs and tail. It was largely used for ceremonies, but later alchemist would use the Ding for scientific experiments.