Unknown Artist

Model of a Well Covering, 206 BCE - 220 CE

About

• Beginning with the Shang Dynasty (circa 1500 bce–circa 1050 bce), beliefs concerning death and burial are better understood than those of earlier eras. It was believed that once a person died, the spirit left the body for the spirit world. This journey was thought to be confusing and upsetting for the spirit, so the descendants of the dead would provide sustenance for the journey, as well as other earthly comforts. These rituals were enacted so that the spirit would become beneficent to its descendants, rather than discontented. The lavishness of the burial and rituals reaffirmed the status of the dead and offered an opportunity to reinforce the centrality of filial and cult obligations.
  Shang Dynasty customs and beliefs surrounding death and burials continued into the Han Dynasty (206 bce–220 ce). The tombs of some individuals reflected their great wealth, with the contents of the richest burials including textiles, lacquer wares, musical instruments, jade, and personal accessories. Scaled down ceramic models of household servants, buildings, and other important objects were also included, an example of which is this celadon, lead-glazed Model of a Well Covering. Stoneware models such as these helped replicate the familiar world of the living for the benefit of the deceased. Although the models were made on a smaller scale than their real-life counterparts, the scale varied as can be seen with this Han Horse, which is nearly four feet tall.