“Tribute” and Sacrifice: Scene-Specific Bronzes at Sanxingdui

Abstract This paper examines the scene-specific bronzes from Sanxingdui, focusing on bronze altars and zun -topped figures. Through an analysis of their compositional elements—divine creature, human figure, and zun arranged in a triadic structure from bottom to top—it is argued that these bronzes depict ceremonial “tribute” scenes. These scenes portray a figure riding an elephant with a zun on its head, offering cowries and other rare resources. The prominence of “tribute” scenes in Sanxingdui’s sacrificial and religious practices underscores the site’s advanced resource circulation network and its central role in facilitating cultural and material exchanges.