Museum Updates
Stone carving masterpiece depicts a horse from over 1,000 years ago
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
China Bound
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Here is another quietly standing stone horse, carved from a single block of yellow granite, head held high, gaze fixed straight ahead. This sculpture is the only known stone carving artwork bearing a dated inscription from the Sixteen Kingdoms period (304-439), linked to the state of Great Xia (407-431). The horse's mane was carved into wave-like strands down the right side of its neck, while between its front legs, a subtle clerical script inscription reveals the horse's identity.
Discovered in 1954 in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, this rare treasure is now preserved at the Xi'an Beilin Museum.
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