Study On The Figurines Unearthed From The Chu Tombs

Historical texts have recorded the presence of numerous funerary figurines in Eastern Zhou Dynasty,which can be firmly attested by archaeological data.Tombs in Chu State,to be noted,featured wooden figurines.There are relatively few literature in the Pre-Qin Period.Through the study of wooden figurines excavated from Chu tombs,we can solove many problems can not be solved only by literature.The wooden figurines of Chu tombs are important material materials in the study of social politics,economy and culture at that time,and it also play an important role in the study of the art history of the Pre-Qin Period in China.Based on publications of archaeological information and previous research,the author conducts a systematic study involving classification,chronology and distribution in the light of the morphological feature and assemblage of Chu tombs wooden figurines.The burial objects can be categorized into six types in three phases as the late Spring and Autumn Period to the early Warrior State Period,the mid Warrior State Period,and the late Warrior State Period.According to regional character of figurines and relevant Chu tombs,geological distribution of the figurines concentrates in four major regions.Then their evolution of function as well as the role in ritual system are discussed.From a comparative perspective,it's inferred that the development of funerary figurines in northern and southern China in pre-Qin Period followed different paths,which led to the prosperity of tomb figurines in the later Qin and Han Dynasty.