The copper stands crafted for the Temple were not merely stationary fixtures, but dynamic structures designed for mobility and visual impact. They were built to carry large water basins, blending practical engineering with artistic beauty through a complex system of wheels, supports, and intricate designs.
To allow for movement, each stand was equipped with four copper wheels, positioned with two in the front and two in the back, much like a heavy freight wagon. Above these wheels rested a foundational copper layer. The primary approach among commentators is that this layer consisted of copper boards or planks that formed the solid floor of the stand. Alternatively, this foundation may have been made of cylindrical axles upon which the wheels rotated [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
Rising from the four corners of the base were upward-reaching structural supports. They are conceptually understood as shoulders because they bore the heavy weight of the structure, much like a human shoulder carries a physical load. These supports securely cradled the large, pot-like basin, keeping it steady and preventing it from slipping down into the hollow center of the stand.
Rather than being hammered into shape, these supports were formed by pouring molten metal directly into a mold. Most commentators agree that they were cast as a single, solid piece along with the base of the stand. However, another perspective suggests a more complex design, distinguishing between inner supports cast directly with the base and outer supports attached later. This two-part system would allow the structure to open and close when the basin was being lowered into place [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, the specific casting method used for these structural supports distinguished them from the stand's decorative elements, which were crafted through a process of hammering rather than casting [רד״ק].
Positioned alongside each of these shoulder supports were intricate decorations. Some explain that these artistic additions were designed as male and female figures, elegantly intertwined and connected to one another [רש״י, מצודת דוד].