Chinese Rough-Hewn Trough

Somebody cut every one of these lines by hand, and then the animals drank.

A rough-hewn stone trough from Shandong Province, China, dating to the 18th century or earlier. On farms in China, troughs like this one held water or fodder for livestock, an unglamorous job for which stone was well suited. Chisel marks run upright across the front face, turn to herringbone along its lower edge and slant across the inside walls. A small round hole sits low at one corner. The wooden stand ends in curving hoof-like feet. 43 inches wide.

The stand is the only part that looks like it tried.