Han Dynasty Warrior Figure with Shield

$1,636.51

An extremely fine terracotta statuette of a warrior, dating between the Eastern Han Period and the Jin Dynasty. The warrior is shown kneeling, with one knee bent behind, in the classic hoplite stance. His right hand is raised in the act of holding something, possibly a spear or a sword, while his left hand holds a long shield, featuring a high mid rib and raised knobs. The figure is also wearing a pointed hat. Traces of the original reddish pigment are still visible to the surface.

Date: Circa 25-420 AD
Period: Eastern Han Dynasty-Jin Dynasty
Condition: Extremely fine.

In stock

Grave goods were an important status symbol in ancient China, so the affluent and important would be accompanied in their travels through the afterlife with numerous depictions of people, items and animals. Statuettes of warriors, such as this fine example, would have been placed in the tomb to assist and protect the deceased in the afterlife. Interestingly, long shields, as seen on this statuette, became popular in ancient China from the Han period. Similar statuettes have been also recovered from the Eastern Wu Kingdom (222-280 AD) and Jin Dynasty (266-420 AD).

To discover more about Chinese terracotta statuettes, please visit our relevant blog post: Terracotta Tomb Attendants.

Weight 750 g
Dimensions W 14.6 x H 31.2 cm
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