Introduction. Polychrome Glazed Tomb Figurine of a Troupe of Musicians on a Camel
- The figure of five musicians on a tall camel.
- The Sogdian origin of the figure.
- Highest level of Sancai art.
- Polychrome pottery of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 908).
- A unique piece of art.
History
- Placed in a tomb of Xianyu Tinghui, a military officer.
- Created during the dominance of the Tang dynasty.
- The figure indicates a high status of a person.
- An example of a burial ceramics.
- Denotes the elite status of the tomb occupant.
History: Cultural Relationship
- The figurine has Sogdian origins.
- Sogdiana was located at the center of trade routes.
- Sogdians traded silk from China to other countries.
- Geographic location facilitated cultural interchange.
- The camel proves the Sogdian origin.
Relevance to culture
- The art object has a rich cultural background.
- The figurine is linked to Asian culture.
- It can be viewed as a part of my cultural heritage.
- The object emphasizes the Silk Road’s importance.
Relevance to cultural identity
- Art is a strong indicator of a cultural identity.
- The figurine shows links between cultures.
- The art object proves the highly developed skills of that period.
- The figurine correlates with modern representations of Asian culture.
- It is related to my own cultural identity.
Artifact from the Perspective of Intrapersonal Communication
- Artifact as a part of my own cultural heritage.
- Recognizable features and shapes.
- A feeling of pride and inspiration.
- Figurine as a proof of the ancient origins of my culture.
Artifact from the Perspective of Interpersonal Communication
- The artifact as a method to share ideas about culture.
- The figurine helps others to understand the Asian worldview
- The object shows others the high level of ancient Chinese art
- Figurine’s discussion promotes a better understanding of Asian art.
Artifact from the Perspective of Intercultural Communication
- The figurine is an example of intercultural relations.
- The art object emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural exchange.
- The critical importance of the Silk Road for culture.
- It helps to correlate old and modern skills and art.
Visual Aids
- PowerPoint presentation.
- Images of the artifact.
- Traditional Chinese ornaments.
- Similar artworks from the same period.
Conclusion
- The Figurine is a unique example of Asian art.
- It emphasizes the importance of the Silk Road and cros- cultural exchange.
- Its discussion can promote a better understanding of Asian culture.
- It is a part of my own cultural identity.
References
Camel with Musicians. (n.d.). Sogdians.
Liu, X. (2012). The Silk Roads: A brief history with documents. Bedford.
Lu, F. (2017). A tour of Beijing’s National Museum of China in 20 artefacts. Culture Trip.
Telling the Sogdian story. (n.d.). Web.
Valenstein, S. (2015). Cosmopolitanism in the Tang dynasty: A Chinese ceramic figure of a Sogdian wine-merchant. Bridge 21 Publications.
Winter, T. (2022). The Silk Road: Connecting histories and futures. Oxford University Press.