A Pair of Tang Dynasty Chinese Terracotta Bactrian Camels with Riders A Pair of Tang Dynasty Chinese Terracotta Bactrian Camels with Riders

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The pointy hat and broad features of these riders identify them as foreigners, probably Sogdian traders. Such representations of foreign...

The pointy hat and broad features of these riders identify them as foreigners, probably Sogdian traders. Such representations of foreign traders on camel back proliferated in the Tang Period (618 - 907 CE), as symbols of the thriving Silk Road trade of the Tang dynasty.

Camel A Dramatically rendered with a foreign rider dressed in an orange tunic and pantaloons, surmounted by a peaked hat, he sits on a saddle and saddle-blanket between the camel's high humps as the camel strides forth powerfully, with its head thrown back and its contorted mouth agape, the body powerfully modelled with red-pigmented fur on the upper legs and under the neck, its muscular legs accented with delineated sinews, the whole enlivened with red, yellow and black pigment over white slip. Height 135cm x 123cm x 47cm

Camel B Superbly modelled, a foreign rider sits between the powerful beast's two tall humps, the rider's face gazing slightly upwards, his right hand is raised slightly and his left lowered, his vest thrown open as if wind-blown, the beast throws back its head, its eyes bulging and mouth agape, as it strides powerfully forward, the muscles on the mighty legs expressively rendered, the whole enhanced with naturalistic ochre, red, and black pigments. Height 132cm x 113cm x 43.5cm The dating of each camel is consistent with the results of the Thermoluminescence Authenticity tests, ref. L02830 (Camel A) and ref. L02831 (Camel B).

The pointy hat and broad features of these riders identify them as foreigners, probably Sogdian traders. Such representations of foreign traders on camel back proliferated in the Tang Period (618 - 907 CE), as symbols of the thriving Silk Road trade of the Tang dynasty.

Camel A Dramatically rendered with a foreign rider dressed in an orange tunic and pantaloons, surmounted by a peaked hat, he sits on a saddle and saddle-blanket between the camel's high humps as the camel strides forth powerfully, with its head thrown back and its contorted mouth agape, the body powerfully modelled with red-pigmented fur on the upper legs and under the neck, its muscular legs accented with delineated sinews, the whole enlivened with red, yellow and black pigment over white slip. Height 135cm x 123cm x 47cm

Camel B Superbly modelled, a foreign rider sits between the powerful beast's two tall humps, the rider's face gazing slightly upwards, his right hand is raised slightly and his left lowered, his vest thrown open as if wind-blown, the beast throws back its head, its eyes bulging and mouth agape, as it strides powerfully forward, the muscles on the mighty legs expressively rendered, the whole enhanced with naturalistic ochre, red, and black pigments. Height 132cm x 113cm x 43.5cm The dating of each camel is consistent with the results of the Thermoluminescence Authenticity tests, ref. L02830 (Camel A) and ref. L02831 (Camel B).