Minneapolis Institute of Art
Tomb tile
China
- Date
- 1st-2nd century
- Medium
- Earthenware with impressed decor
- Department
- Asian Art
- Institution
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
This tomb tile portrays the sacred mountains, a Han dynasty vision of the boundary between the human world and the immortal realm. In the upper register, horsemen ride through rugged peaks, confronting wild beasts with drawn bows. Their mounts—symbols of speed, strength, and heroic mobility—enable the riders to traverse this perilous landscape and approach the realm of transcendence. Below, dragons coil through the earth’s depths, reinforcing the tile’s cosmological setting. Used in burial, such imagery expressed hopes for protection, spiritual ascent, and the power of the horse to guide the soul safely through otherworldly terrain. China, Asia
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