Funerary Pillars of the Han Dynasty

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As I viewed these funerary pillars from the Han dynasty, I noticed that the tops of their heads were flat. This indicated to me that they may have been used as a support system to hold up something. This led me to believe they may have been part of an entrance to a Han dynasty tomb.
The pillar to the left shows an image that appears to be a human-like being holding a stone tablet while sitting on top of a pillar. I could not read what was on this tablet, so I was unable to have it translated. I did note that it appears to have four characters engraved on it. Since languages change over time, I found it difficult to decipher the message. I have discovered that many of these inscriptions are relevant to the person who was buried at the site. The pillar to the right shows an image that appears to be a human-like being holding something up with his or her hands.
These sculptures appear to be in breath form due to the oversized stomach; indicating air in the stomach from inhaling. These sculptures appear to have high relief imagery as well. They are sculpted all the way around instead of having a backing. These sculptures also appeared to never have had any paint or lacquer on them. This is indicative of the lackof remnants on the sculptures. The pillars that these human-like beings were sitting on have intricate detail. The one to the left has more detail to view. I assume this is because over time the detail may have been worn off. Based on my examination of this sculpture, I believe this detail comes from being stamped or possibly carved.

Artistic Research
I researched other funerary pillars that have been discovered from the Han dynasty era. I discovered one that was a decoration...

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... fine bronzes, lacquers and jades used in court life were buried, and ritual vessels declined in importance. In the later Han dynasty (first-second century AD), replicas of buildings and other aspects of daily life were placed in the tombs. In northern China during the Han dynasty, hollow terracotta bricks were used to construct the small, rectangular chambers of underground tombs. The doors, pillars, and lintel assembled reconstruct the entrance to such a chamber. Before firing, the terracotta was impressed with images of great force from daily life and from mythology. This combination of subject matters reflects a dualistic view of the human soul: separating at death, one part of the soul was thought to remain in the earthly tomb, while the other ascended to a paradise. This is the realm of ancestral spirits and of the special beings who have achieved immortality.

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