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What types of objects were buried in Han dynasty tombs?
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Chinese pottery
Painted Pottery funerary urn, Neolithic Banshan phase, c. 3000 bce, from Yangshao, Henan province, China; in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm. Height 13.2 inches (33.5 cm).
In Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) tombs, it was customary to place funerary objects known as mingqi. These items were intended to provide the deceased with a material environment similar to the one they enjoyed while living, with the goal of ensuring immortality.1
Common objects found in these tombs include:
- Ceramic Models: Inexpensive, simply crafted clay models of familiar items, such as servants, guardians, domestic animals, buildings, wellheads, and dovecotes. A complete set could represent an entire village, illustrating daily life during the period.12
- Vessels: The most frequent form is the hu, a baluster-shaped vase often modeled after bronze originals. Another common form is the "hill jar," which features a cover molded to represent the Daoist "Isles of the Blest".2
- Personal and Ritual Items: Excavations have uncovered jade pieces used to close bodily orifices, as well as mirrors. High-status tombs, such as the one at Mawangdui, contained elaborate grave goods including fine silks, lacquerware, and coffins.34