Study On Horse Crown Unearthed Form Western Zhou Dynasty

In recent years,archaeological discoveries in China have unearthed numerous tombs of the Zhou Dynasty,and unearthed a large number of chariots and horses,which provide valuable material materials for the study of the chariots and horses,the chariot travel system and the burial system in the Western Zhou Dynasty.There have been special combing and researches on Danglu,Luanling and other chariots and horses,but the systematic research on horse crowns is still lacking.A horse crown is a bronze animal mask worn on the head of a horse.As an important Zhou-style chariot and horse ritual device,it appeared in the early Western Zhou Dynasty and was widely popular among the aristocratic classes;it gradually disappeared after the middle and late Western Zhou Dynasty.Its development and evolution are very characteristic of the times.This paper takes the unearthed horse crown in the Western Zhou Dynasty as the research object,analyzes its shape evolution and burial characteristics;and combines the literature and unearthed conditions to judge the function and family of the horse crown.Firstly,according to the excavation report and briefing report,systematically collect and organize the horse crowns unearthed from the tombs and chariot pits of the Western Zhou Dynasty in China,and analyze the geographical and era characteristics of their discovery and excavation.There are as many as 88 photos.Secondly,using the method of archaeological typology,according to the different external shapes of the horse crowns,more than 80 unearthed horse crowns are divided into types;Judging from the age,its development and evolution sequence can be divided into three stages: the early Western Zhou Dynasty,the middle Western Zhou Dynasty,the late Western Zhou Dynasty to the early spring and autumn leaves.Finally,after clarifying the development and evolution,geographical distribution characteristics,functions and genus of horse crowns in the Western Zhou Dynasty,further analysis of its burial characteristics,such as placement,combination of chariots and horses,burial quantity and the relationship between chariots and horses,as well as the burial grade relationship,etc.Based on this,we discuss the etiquette system,funeral customs and social rank concept reflected in the use of horse crowns by princes and other nobles in the Western Zhou Dynasty.