A Chinese green-glazed pottery figure of a tomb attendant

TL-Tested by Oxford Authentication

This sculpture is a Ming dynasty (1368–1644) green-glazed terracotta figure of a tomb attendant

The figure stands on a hexagonal plinth and is dressed in a long, flowing robe glazed in a vivid green, tied at the waist with a sash. The attire includes a tall, conical hat, which was typical for officials or attendants during the Ming period.

Such figures were commonly created as tomb attendants, intended to serve a ceremonial purpose in funerary contexts. They would be placed among processional groups within tombs, symbolically announcing the arrival of the tomb’s occupant and ensuring their status and comfort in the afterlife.

Ming dynasty tomb figures like this one reflect the importance placed on ritual, hierarchy, and the afterlife.