VAM galleries including this work:
International Museum of the Horse | Animal Farm || VAM Home

This piece is the head of a 7th-century haniwa figure of a horse. It is believed to be from the Japanese prefecture (or governmental district) Gunma during the period known as Kofun or Tumulus (both meaning “tomb”), which lasted from roughly 300 C.E. to 710 C.E. An important element of burial rites and ritual, haniwa forms were intended to serve as protectors of the tomb and attendants to the dead, and they were placed in or just outside of the tombs of dead nobles. They also functioned as symbols of the deceased’s status. Haniwa were formed by building and modeling clay coils, then adding incised details on the smoothed surface. The figures vary greatly—from houses, armor, and other material possessions to animals and human forms—and give researchers great insight into the world of ancient Japan.

Classroom Ideas

Discussion: Why might someone have the figure of a horse such as this one included in his or her tomb? What might the inclusion of a horse indicate about the person with whom it was buried? Do you think haniwa figures constitute “art,” even though they were created solely as burial objects?

Activity: Think about what is important in your life (family, friends, a pet, a favorite belonging). Using clay coils, craft figures of two or three things that you think are most important or representative of you. What might researchers guess about you or your society if they dug up the objects you created a hundred years from now?

Writing Prompt:

Grade Level: Intermediate
Prompt: You have just been given this horse head as a present from one of your relatives. You have to decide where in your house to put this sculpture. How does the horse make you feel? Write a letter thanking your relative for the gift and include where you decided to place the horse and how you feel about this piece of art.

Links

Read about Equestrian Culture and Horse Racing in Japan at the Kentucky Horse Park’s International Museum of the Horse.
[www.imh.org/imh/jp/jp1.html]

See examples and learn more about haniwa forms at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the National Museum of Japanese History.
[www.lacma.org/art/perm_col/japanese/sculpture/haniwa.htm]
[www.rekihaku.ac.jp/e_news/index73/]