A Set of Terracotta Goats

Eastern Han Dynasty, Henan Province, China, 25–220 CEA set of seven terracotta goats created as a mingqi funerary figure during the Eastern Han Dynasty, reflecting the importance of agriculture and animal husbandry within early imperial Chinese society. Modeled with playful naturalism and realistic proportions, the sculptures convey the independence and cleverness traditionally associated with goats. The Chinese character for "goat" also shares phonetic roots with "prosperity", so burial of goat figures was considered auspicious. The figures are molded from grey pottery and retain bright pigments around their eyes. Figures of this type were placed within tombs to ensure the continuation of rural life and spiritual sustenance in the afterlife.