Ancient Chinese, Han dynasty Ceramic 彩色陶器の一角獣型墓守獣 - 33 cm

attributed style: Han Dynasty style, circa 1st–2nd century AD
Material: Pottery
Object type: Animal figure / pottery ram
Condition: Weathering, surface wear, encrustation, losses, and age-related imperfections as shown
This is a painted pottery figure of a tomb guardian beast (Zhenmushou), modeled in the Han Dynasty style. The mythical creature is depicted in a four-legged standing posture, with its head inclined downward, bearing a single robust horn on its forehead flanked by a pair of erect, pointed ears. The stocky torso features a prominent row of rounded nodes or dorsal ridges along its spine, and stylized wing patterns are molded or incised onto the upper forelegs, terminating in a sharply upturned tail. The surface exhibits severe environmental degradation and long-term weathering, with the original painted pigments almost completely exfoliated. Scattered remnants of a white slip or chalky white oxidation layers survive only within the recesses, exposing a dry, matte, greyish-white earthenware body. Compaction of burial soil, heavy earth encrustations, and hardened patination adhere significantly to the hooves, facial contours, and the underside. The underbelly contains an irregular, circular hollow vent hole with rough-textured edges, revealing an unsmoothed interior heavily marked by centuries of soil stains and subterranean exposure.

Catawiki disclaimer: This object has been dated based on style by the seller . No further tests, such as, a TL test, lapidary tests, analysis of pigments or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.