Ancient Chinese, Tang Dynasty Terracotta Mingqi funerary Bactrian camel - 13 cm

China – Mingqi funerary Bactrian camel – Tang Dynasty, ca. 7th–8th centuries CE. Interesting Chinese funerary figure made in reddish molded terracotta, representing a two-humped Bactrian camel standing on an integral rectangular base. The animal appears modeled in a markedly stylized way, with a voluminous body, two well-defined humps, an elevated neck and a simplified head projected forward. The four legs are integrated into an open-base structure, creating wide spaces beneath the body and providing stability to the piece as a whole. The piece presents a hollow construction, perfectly visible from the bottom, a procedure common in many ancient Chinese terracotta funerary sculptures. The surface retains an attractive natural reddish tone of the paste, with earthy deposits, concretions, wear and surface alterations compatible with great age. This type of figure was part of the funerary trousseau known as mingqi (明器). Bactrian camels had particular symbolic importance during the Tang dynasty, when the great land routes connected China with Central Asia, Persia and the Western world. In elite tombs they represented transport, wealth and the cosmopolitan character of Tang society. Material: reddish terracotta. Dimensions: 13 × 13 × 6.5 cm. Proposed period: Tang Dynasty, 618–907 CE, probably 7th–8th centuries. Alternative possible chronology: late Northern Wei/Sui–early Tang. Condition: wear and superficial deposits typical of antiquity, cracks visible especially at the base, small losses and abrasions; overall structure well preserved. Interior hollow. Catawiki disclaimer: This object has been dated based on style by the seller. No further tests, such as, a TL test, C14 test, lapidary tests, analysis of pigments or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.

Estimate:£843.18

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