This fine anthropomorphic stopper shows the design hallmarks of those in the rather limited corpus of Yanzi art, taking the shape of an abstracted human bust with a tall, helmet-like head, angling down toward the chin, atop an elongated, flared neck. Panels of incisions in a grid pattern are found on either side of the head and on the lower half of the neck. The overall effect of these qualities – together with the rich, black patina – are a somewhat surrealistic, otherworldly aura and a striking sculptural power for an object of such diminutive size.

Stoppers such as these were used to close the medicinal gourds of diviners. A small piece of fiber cord, which would have originally kept the stopper attached to the gourd, remains knotted around the neck.