Accession Number
1969/2.139

Title
Horse

Artist(s)
Chinese

Artist Nationality
Chinese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
265-316

Medium & Support
earthenware with mineral pigment

Dimensions
11 5/8 in x 4 1/8 in x 14 3/16 in (29.53 cm x 10.48 cm x 36.04 cm);13 3/16 in (33.5 cm);15 3/4 in (40.01 cm);5 3/4 in (14.61 cm)

Credit Line
Museum purchase for the Paul Leroy Grigaut Memorial Collection

Subject matter
An earthenware mingqi  (明器), or "bright object", figure of a caparisoned horse of the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316). The projecting roundel on the nose of this horse is only seen during the Western Jin dynasty, while the strong features and modeling style are typical of Henan workshops. Horses were commonly placed in tombs to provide transportation for the deceased in the afterlife, and are usually indicative of the occupant's wealth and status.  

Since the Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE), ceramic figures have been used to replace human sacrifice in burial practices as mingqi (明器) or grave goods, as a way to provide for the deceased. Mingqi could include houses, towers, gates, granaries, livestock pens, chicken coops, wells, cooking stoves, storage vessels, dishes, incense burners, and lamps. Figures could include horses, dogs, anthropomorphic animals and people, such as officials, guardians, servants, and entertainers. By the Han dynasty, they also included representations of common people engaged in the activities that consumed their daily lives, such a cooking.  As grave goods, these mingqi included everything one would need to ensure a comfortable transition into the afterlife. The number of ceramic mingqi items in a tomb could reach numbers of a few to several hundred objects.

Physical Description
An earthenware model of a stocky horse on short legs, dressed in a saddle blanket and saddle with a roundel on its nose, a short downward pointing tail and trimmed mane, and traces of mineral pigment. 

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
funerary sculpture

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Equus caballus (species)
ceramic (material)
earthenware
figures (representations)
grave goods
horses (equipment)
mineral pigment