Chinese
Camel, 618 - 907, Tang Dynasty
Not on view
Earthenware
Dimensions14 × 12 × 9 in. (35.6 × 30.5 × 22.9 cm)
Gift of Dr. Gerald J. Shepps in memory of Roslyn and Benjamin Shepps, 2009.2
Camels symbolized the prosperity of the Silk Route—trade routes between China, Europe, and the Middle East—because they were the main form of transportation in the caravans. This one carries a saddlebag with a guardian face and would have likely been made for a wealthy individual’s tomb. Indeed, camel sculptures were trade goods themselves and have even been found as far away as Japan and Egypt.
