19 replies to this topic

[Jake Holman]

Just found these pics--I believe the best collection of Han Dynasty architecture tomb ceramics on the 'net. I have resized the photos so they won't load too slowly, they are really much larger, just go the link I provide below to see the photos full size:

Pottery Grist Mill:




Pottery Well:




Pottery Well:




Pottery "Palace" (actually a Manor House?):




Pottery Palace (side view):




Pottery Tower 1:




Pottery Tower 2:




Pottery Tower 2a (following the photographer's numbering):




Pottery Tower 3:




Pottery Tower 4:




Continued in next post.

Edited by Jake Holman, 01 August 2008 - 11:58 AM.

[Jake Holman]

Pottery Tower 5:




Pottery Tower 6:




Pottery Tower 6a:




Shang Dynasty Bronze Building:




And here is the link where you can find the full-size photos:

http://picasaweb.goo...roughHanDynasty


Just by sheer luck, I found another site with a photo of a Han Manor House similar to the one above:




The site also has a pic of another Han lou or "tower":




And finally, this interesting bronze structure from the Warring States period:




And here the link to the site, with a lot of information (in Chinese; hopefully your Chinese is better than mine):

http://jpkc.ycit.cn/...APER2/2.1.4.htm

Edited by Jake Holman, 09 August 2008 - 10:23 AM.

[madalibi]

Thanks for the great pictures! These structures were placed in tombs to accompany the deceased and to recreate their life in the afterworld. The best part is that these objects represent scenes from daily life instead of palace life. I have seen courtyards of that sort with lots of animal figurines in them (especially pigs). The buildings may not be on scale, but they give a good idea of how Han houses were built. Some tombs also contained large figurines of horses (the Han loved them), musicians, and entertainers. Nice!

[Non-Han Nan Ban]

Holy c**p!

I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning, and Santa Claus just came down the chimney.

Seriously, if I was able to upload these pictures to Wikipedia for use in the Han Dynasty article (which I am not allowed to since I didn't take the pictures and they are 3 dimensional), then I would seriously pee my pants.

Thank you so much for sharing these Jake Holman. I have added this page to my favorites list.

If anyone wants to see more images of Han ceramic architecture models, I took these at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City:

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_1.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....nasty,_11.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....nasty,_12.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_3.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_2.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....nasty,_10.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_4.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_5.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_6.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_7.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_8.JPG

Warning! Some images are crappy and hazy, but others are perfectly fine.

Cheers,
Eric (En Rui)

[DaMo]

Very impressive. Some of those constructions would have been practically skyscrapers for their time.

[Non-Han Nan Ban]

Very impressive. Some of those constructions would have been practically skyscrapers for their time.

Indeed, at least as tall as the Roman Colloseum.

Forget the Olympics thread, everyone should be looking at this!

Eric (En Rui)

[Jake Holman]

Holy c**p!

I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning, and Santa Claus just came down the chimney.

Seriously, if I was able to upload these pictures to Wikipedia for use in the Han Dynasty article (which I am not allowed to since I didn't take the pictures and they are 3 dimensional), then I would seriously pee my pants.

Thank you so much for sharing these Jake Holman. I have added this page to my favorites list.

If anyone wants to see more images of Han ceramic architecture models, I took these at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City:

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_1.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....nasty,_11.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....nasty,_12.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_3.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_2.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....nasty,_10.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_4.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_5.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_6.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_7.JPG

http://commons.wikim.....ynasty,_8.JPG

Warning! Some images are crappy and hazy, but others are perfectly fine.

Cheers,
Eric (En Rui)

Yes Eric, I understand completely my friend, that's exactly how I felt when I found that site! My two year quest to uncover some good large pics of a Han Dynasty Manor House (not "mouse", man was I tired when I posted last night but I was so excited I couldn't wait) is over. Now I can finally get some sleep instead of staying up all night at the computer endlessly performing Baidu and Google image searches. Just when I was about to give up...as you can see, I am an ancient China architecture fanatic as well.

[Non-Han Nan Ban]

Yes Eric, I understand completely my friend, that's exactly how I felt when I found that site! My two year quest to uncover some good large pics of a Han Dynasty Manor House (not "mouse", man was I tired when I posted last night but I was so excited I couldn't wait) is over. Now I can finally get some sleep instead of staying up all night at the computer endlessly performing Baidu and Google image searches. Just when I was about to give up...as you can see, I am an ancient China architecture fanatic as well.

Wow, you're dedicated! It's good to see this, since preserving China's oldest architectural legacy is so important.

Cheers,
Eric (En Rui)

[changsham]

Hi all, An amazing collection and a window in time. A lot of the tomb models are farm buildings and granaries for storing food to ensure a bountiful supply for the after life.

[Jake Holman]

Wow, you're dedicated! It's good to see this, since preserving China's oldest architectural legacy is so important.

Cheers,
Eric (En Rui)

"Dedicated" is a polite way of putting it! Thanks.

Jake

[kaiselin]

Wow, doesn't do this justice. What a great find.

I am wondering if these miniatures are like spirit jars, a place for the spirit to live after death. I have been looking for info on thosewith no luck for a few months now..

I also notice that there is a huge similarity in these models and the Thai spirit homes that often exact miniature copies of the owners home.

[Non-Han Nan Ban]

General Zhaoyun, I think your decision to pin this thread was an excellent one!

Thank you,
Eric (En Rui)

[doozer667]

One can only imagine what it would have been like to live in those times. Very good stuff.

[Jake Holman]

Model of A House, Glazed Earthenware, Eastern Han Dynasty:




Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.


I find this interesting as a rare example of the kind of humble house a common family may have lived in.

Link: http://www.flickr.co...57594289934084/

Edited by Jake Holman, 09 August 2008 - 10:36 AM.

[Jake Holman]

I just found some more excellent photos of Han Dynasty architecture, from the Guangzhou Museum (广州博物馆). All are from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220CE):




Pottery Granary

Link: http://www.guangzhou...istory03-02.asp




Pottery Storehouse

Link: http://www.guangzhou...istory03-03.asp




Pottery Multi-storied House

Link: http://www.guangzhou...istory03-03.asp




Pottery Well

Link: http://www.guangzhou...istory03-04.asp




Pottery Oven

Link: http://www.guangzhou...istory03-04.asp




Pottery Castle

Link: http://www.guangzhou...istory03-04.asp