The Mao Gong Tripod was cast in the latter years of the Western Zhou Dynasty by the emperor to show his gratitude for the excellent service to the state provided by his uncle, Mao Gong. There are older bronzes from the Xia and Shang periods, but the 500-character inscription on the Mao Gong Tripod is unprecedented in the history of early bronzes. There are many types of ancient bronzes, classified according to their use.
這座西周晚期周宣王因感念叔父「毛公」輔政有功而鑄的青銅圓鼎，雖然晚於夏鼎與商彝，但鼎內長達 500 字的銘文刻字，乃前代青銅器物所未見，與同屬西周時代、上刻 357 字的「散盤」，同為故宮典藏的上古國寶。