A Han Dynasty Style Wooden Horse

In the Style of Han Dynasty, China, 206 BCE–220 CEA carved wooden horse figure characterized by elongated proportions and a solid foursquare stance. The sculpture is covered in black tree sap lacquer, which has preserved the wood. Its simplified yet expressive form reflects the importance of horses within Han culture, where they symbolized prestige, military power, and status. Natural surface wear and aged patina enhance the figure’s historical character. Buried wooden pieces are rare, but many examples exist, usually in an eroded or rotten state. Due to lack of comparable examples, we cannot evaluate this piece to be from the Han Dynasty period. The technique is similar to Han and it's possible that it came from a tomb but it's unexpected. Uncertain of its age.