tomb tile, unknown maker from China

Artwork Overview

tomb tile
tomb tile
tomb tile
circa 200 CE, Eastern Han dynasty (25 CE–220 CE)
tomb tile , circa 200 CE, Eastern Han dynasty (25 CE–220 CE)
Where object was made: Sichuan, China
Material/technique: earthenware; molding
Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 38 x 39 x 5.2 cm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 14 15/16 x 15 3/8 x 2 1/16 in
Credit line: Museum purchase: R. Charles and Mary Margaret Clevenger Art Acquisition Fund
Accession number: 2009.0125
On display: Loo Gallery
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Exhibition Label: "Corpus," Apr-2012, Kris Ercums Tomb tiles such as this one lined the walls of Han-dynasty underground masoleums in Sichuan province. Covered with depictions of everyday life, the tiles were intended to furnish tombs of the deceased and provide comforts in the afterlife. The method of production-pressing a mould onto an earthenware clay slab to create a surface relief-allowed for the mass-production of ready-made tomb decorations. Particularly rich in symbolism, the images in this tile depict the gateway the soul passed through during its transition into the afterlife. Two men holding halberds stand guard in the center of the composition, while fantastic birds perch on top of double-roofed pillars on either side. Lively depictions of an auspicious mythical bird known as feng, the creatures hold an association with the other world. The pillar gates-called que-marked the entrance to Han-dynasty cemetaries, and images of que frequently decorate coffins and the entrances of tomb chambers.