Horse with saddle

The widespread misidentification of a Han dynasty date for horse models of this type must be corrected in light of archaeological accounts of their occurrence in Western Jin tombs. The roundel on the nose of this model is a striking characteristic seen only in Western Jin models. The sharply pointed ears and exaggerated head features as well as the strong musculature of the body agree with the grotesque design Henan potters preferred (KG 1957.1: pl. 14; KG 1985.8: pl. 6). The painting of the models with red or white pigment is a remnant of an earlier northern tradition.