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Galloping through millennia: A timeline of Chinese horse artifacts
Galloping through millennia: A timeline of Chinese horse artifacts
Bronze cowrie receptacle decorated with four oxen and a gilded rider on a horse
Updated: Jun 17, 2026
China Bound
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On this Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 24) waisted cylindrical cowrie receptacle, many animals come to life. But in the center is a steed and its rider.
The horse stands tall with head held high, tail sweeping upward in motion. Its mouth is slightly open, eyes sharp and fixed ahead, seemingly ready to charge off the bronze lid. Astride the horse sits a rider gilded from head to toe, gleaming with the power and prestige of its owner. Collection: Yunnan Provincial Museum.
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