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Horse Painted grey pottery Early Han dynasty Height 46.8 cm National Museum of Shaanxi History Excavated from Lanjiagou Gully in the township of Hanjiawan, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, this figurine has the robust build and long legs of mares introduced from the West. Unlike the Chinese tomb horses with relatively low backs and short legs, unearthed from the pits containing the terracotta warriors of the first Chinese emperor Shi Huangdi (259-210 B.C.), this stallion with the graceful traits of the Central Asian breed Akhal-Teke may have been modeled after the legendary “blood-sweating” horses.

Barbarian on Horseback Painted grey pottery Tang dynasty, 706 Height 31.2 cm National Museum of Shaanxi History This horse-backed barbarian, unearthed from the tomb of Princess Yongtai in 1960, has deeply sculpted facial features and a sharply bent torso. With a scowl, he raises his right fist against the leopard that clings to the back of his horse, which turns its long neck to the right as if to look at the beast. The horse’s small head with a nose that extends straight down from its eyes, its short barrel, rounded haunches, and slender and long legs are qualities seen in Arabian stallions today.

Musicians Painted pottery Tang dynasty, 739 National Museum of Shaanxi History During the Kaiyuan era (713-42) of Emperor Xuanzong (685-762; r. 712-62), ceramic tomb figurines in Xi’an took a highly sculptural quality. Examples include the images found in the tombs of Xianyu Tinghui from Kaiyuan 11 (723), the Jinxiang County official from Kaiyuan 12 (724), and this group of musicians from the tomb of Pishi Shixiang, dated Kaiyuan 27 (739). The musicians strike different poses depending on his instrument, and each has a unique facial expression, hand gesture, and seated posture. Whether facing directly in front or sideways, the movement of each performer is perfectly captured.

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