This figure of a horse with a saddle might have been painted with a brown overglaze. However with time, the coloured glaze had long faded away and only traces of the glaze can be seen on its legs, saddle and neck. This figurine would have been part of a group of pottery tomb figures buried during the Tang dynasty (618-906). The custom of making ‘mingqi’ or burial wares was an ancient one. It is thought these wares were necessary for the deceased in the next world. Elaborate groups of burial wares were also a display of wealth and social status.The importance of horses to the Chinese ruling class can be seen in the large numbers of pottery sculptures that have been found in Chinese tombs. Apart from military uses, the horse also played a central role in the long-distance trade over the Silk Road.
